Editing Plaek Phibunsongkhram (section)

====Franco-Thai War====
{{Main|Franco-Thai War}}
[[File:จอมพลป. พิบูลสงคราม ในปี 2484.jpg|260px|thumb|Phibunsongkhram inspecting troops during the Franco-Thai War]]
[[File:01จอมพลป.กับชาวนา.jpg|thumb|left|Phibunsongkhram with Thai farmers in 1942 at Bang Khen|150px]]
Phibun exploited the [[Fall of France]] in June 1940 and the [[Japanese invasion of French Indochina]] in September 1940 to advance Thai interests in [[French Indochina]] following a border dispute with [[French Third Republic|France]]. Phibun believed Thailand could recover territories ceded to France by King [[Rama V]] because the French would avoid armed confrontation or offer serious resistance. Thailand fought against [[Vichy France]] over the disputed areas from October 1940 to May 1941. The technologically and numerically superior Thai force invaded French Indochina and attacked military targets in major cities. Despite Thai successes, the French tactical victory at the [[Battle of Ko Chang]] prompted intervention from the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]], who mediated an [[armistice]] where the French were forced to cede the disputed territories to Thailand.