Hi Tom,
I think the best way to describe the Dutch/Thai relationship during WW2 is 'suspended'. This marked a depth point in an otherwise good relationship. Dutch forced-labour workers were put to work in bad conditions.
The Dutch government fled to the UK, the country was under control of the Germans. The colonies were battling the Japanese (and losing). So all in all, it was a time of chaos.
Also, most of the KNIL-staff, as mentioned eaerlier, consisted of locals who could travel around and blend into the masses pretty easily as opposed to the Dutch themselves who got rounded up and were put to work by the Japanese in terrible conditions.
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