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The Japanese Invasion of Thailand occurred on December 8, 1941.

Pacific campaigns 1941-42
Pearl Harbor – Thailand – Malaya – Wake – Hong Kong – Philippines – Dutch East Indies – New Guinea – Singapore – Australia – Indian Ocean – Doolittle Raid – Solomons – Coral Sea – Midway

South-East Asian campaign
Malaya – Prince of Wales & Repulse – Thailand – Singapore – Indian Ocean – Andaman Islands – Burma – Malacca Strait

Contents 1 Chumphon 2 Nakhon Si Thammarat 3 Pattani 4 Prachuap Khiri Khan 5 Samut Prakan 6 Songkhla 7 Surat Thani 8 External links

The Japanese 1st Infantry Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment landed at Chumphon on the morning of December 8. They managed to form a perimeter around their landing areas, but were pinned down by determined Thai resistance. Fighting ended in the afternoon when the Thais received orders to cease fire.

Nakhon Si Thammarat was the site of the Thai Sixth Army Division’s Headquarters. Three Japanese troopships dropped anchor a few kilometres off the coast during the night of December 7. The ships carried the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment, the 18th Air District Regiment along with an army air force signals unit, the 32nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion, and the 6th Labour Construction Company. Shortly after midnight, they began disembarking their troops.

The landing was made adjacent to the main Thai army camp. The Thais, notified earlier of the Japanese invasion at Songkhla, immediately went into action. The battle lasted until midday, when Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram’s orders for a cease fire were received.

Due to its closeness to the Malayan border, Pattani was the second most important objective of the Japanese 25th Army. The landings were made despite the rough seas and on unsuitable landing grounds. The invaders were effectively opposed by the Thai 42nd Infantry Battalion, until the battalion was ordered to cease fire at midday.

Prachuap Khiri Khan was home to the Royal Thai Air Force’s Fifth Wing, under the command of Wing Commander M.L. Pravat Chumsai. The Japanese 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment landed at 03:00 am, and occupied the town after having crushed police resistance there.

Further landings took place near the airfield to the south. The Japanese laid siege to the airfield, but the Thai airmen managed to hold out until noon on the next day, when they received orders from the Thai government to cease fighting.

The Japanese 3rd Battalion of the Imperial Guards Regiment landed at Samut Prakan in the early hours of December 8. It was tasked with the capture of Bangkok. The force was met by a small Thai police detachment. Despite a tense confrontation, fighting did not occur and the Japanese subsequently agreed not to enter the Thai capital until formal negotiations were concluded.

The port city of Songkhla was one of the main objectives of Yamashita’s 25th Army. The Japanese landings occurred during the early hours of December 8. Thai garrison immediately occupied positions alongside the roads leading down to Malaya, but were brushed aside into positions the main Japanese advance could ignore. A further clash occurred at Hat Yai.

The fighting ceased at noon when orders for an armistice to be arranged was received.

A Japanese infantry company from the 1st Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment landed at the coastal village of Ban Don in the early hours of December 8. They marched into Surat Thani, where they were opposed by Thai police and civilian volunteers. The desultory fighting took place amid a rainstorm, and only ended in the afternoon when the hard-pressed Thais received orders to lay down their arms.

• Japanese Order of Battle
• Thai Order of battle
• Battle of Prachuab Khirikhan