85-508: Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. , and contemporarily known as Phibun in the West, was a Thai politician, military officer, and revolutionary who served as the 3rd prime minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957. Phibun was a member of the army wing of Khana Ratsadon , the first political party in Thailand, and
170-522: A military alliance with Japan. The following month, on 25 January 1942, Phibun declared war on Britain and the United States. South Africa and New Zealand declared war on Thailand on the same day. Australia followed soon after. Phibun purged all who opposed the Japanese alliance from his government. Pridi Banomyong was appointed acting regent for the absent King Ananda Mahidol , while Direk Jayanama ,
255-1063: A monk in the Buddhist temple in Bodhgaya . Phibun died on 11 June 1964 from heart failure in Tokyo, Japan. After his death, Phibun's ashes were transferred to Thailand in an urn and decorated with military honours in Wat Phra Sri Mahathat (also called "The Temple of Democracy") he had founded in Bang Khen . Plaek Phibunsongkhram received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand: Monarchy of Thailand Regents of Thailand Prime Ministers of Thailand Military Others Institutions Key events Field marshal (Thailand) The Thai rank of Field Marshal ( Thai : จอมพล , romanized : Chom-phon , lit. 'Chief [of the] forces')
340-407: A second lieutenant in the artillery . Following World War I , he was sent to France to study artillery tactics at the École d'application d'artillerie . In 1928, as he rose in rank, he received the noble title Luang from King Prajadhipok , and became known as Luang Phibunsongkhram . He would later drop his Luang title but permanently adopted Phibunsongkhram as his surname. In 1932, Phibun
425-464: A border with them and felt threatened by a potential Japanese invasion. Phibun's administration also realised that Thailand would have to fend for itself if a Japanese invasion came, considering its deteriorating relationships with Western powers in the area. When the Japanese invaded Thailand on 8 December 1941, (because of the International Date Line this occurred an hour and a half before
510-569: A ceremony aboard the Manhattan , a US dredge boat , when he was taken hostage by a group of Royal Thai Navy officers, who then quickly confined him aboard the warship Sri Ayutthaya . Negotiations between the government and the coup organizers swiftly broke down, leading to violent street fighting in Bangkok between the navy and the army, which was supported by the Royal Thai Air Force . Phibun
595-527: A constitutional government to the kingdom. Their efforts culminated in an almost bloodless "revolution" on the morning of 24 June 1932 by the self-proclaimed Khana Ratsadon ( People's Party ; คณะราษฎร). While Prajadhipok was away at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin , the plotters took control of the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok and arrested key officials (mainly princes and relatives of
680-594: A façade of democracy. The beginning of the Cold War saw Phibun align Thailand with the anti-communist camp. Phibun supported UN action in the Korean War and dispatched an expeditionary force of 4,000 troops. and received large quantities of US aid following Thailand's entry into the Korean War as part of the United Nations Command 's multi-national allied force against the communist forces of North Korea and
765-636: A great embarrassment to the prince, who wanted to serve with his men on the Western front. Once home, Prajadhipok became a high-ranking military official in Siam. In 1917 he was ordained temporarily as a monk, as was customary for most Buddhist Siamese men. In August 1918 Prince Prajadhipok married his childhood friend and cousin Rambai Barni , a descendant of King Mongkut (Prajadhipok's grandfather) and his Royal Consort Piam . They were married at Sukhothai Palace which
850-708: A leader of the Siamese revolution of 1932 , which replaced Thailand's absolute monarchy with a constitutional monarchy . Phibun became the third Prime Minister of Thailand in 1938 while serving as Commander of the Royal Siamese Army . Inspired by the Italian fascism of Benito Mussolini , he established a de facto military dictatorship run along fascist lines, promoted Thai nationalism and Sinophobia , and allied Thailand with Imperial Japan in World War II . Phibun launched
935-489: A measure of decentralisation of power in municipalities had become, in Prajadhipok's mind, fundamental to future policy-making. However, Yasukichi Yatabe, Japanese minister to Siam, criticized the king's way and that it would not be accomplished in a hundred years' time. In September 1931 Britain abandoned the gold standard and devalued sterling by 30 percent. This created a crisis for Siam since most of its foreign exchange
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#17328485764441020-632: A modernization campaign known as the Thai Cultural Revolution that included a series of cultural mandates , which changed the country's name from "Siam" to "Thailand", and promoted the Thai language . Phibun was ousted as prime minister by the National Assembly in 1944 and replaced by members of the Free Thai Movement , but returned to power after the Siamese coup d'état of 1947 , led by
1105-563: A more pleasant name, he called it "Glen Pammant", an anagram of an old Thai phrase tam pleng nam . They remained there for two years. They moved again to Vane Court, the oldest house in the village of Biddenden in Kent. He led a peaceful life there, gardening in the morning and writing his autobiography in the afternoon. In 1938 the royal couple moved to Compton House, in the village of Wentworth in Virginia Water , Surrey. Due to bombing by
1190-693: A total of 77), and the 33rd and youngest of Chulalongkorn's sons. Unlikely to succeed to the throne, Prince Prajadhipok chose to pursue a military career. Like many of the king's children, he was sent abroad to study, going to Eton College in 1906, then to the Woolwich Military Academy from which he graduated in 1913. He received a commission in the Royal Horse Artillery in the British Army based in Aldershot . In 1910 Chulalongkorn died and
1275-434: A wish to restore a Chulalongkorn-type government. Unlike his predecessor, the king read virtually all state papers that came his way, from ministerial submissions to petitions by citizens. The king was painstaking and conscientious; he would elicit comments and suggestions from a range of experts and study them, noting the good points in each submission, but when various options were available he would seldom be able to select
1360-538: Is listen to the opinions of others and choose the best...If I have made a mistake, I believe I really deserve to be excused by the people of Siam". No previous monarch had ever spoken so honestly. The speech was widely reported and many interpreted his words not as a frank appeal for understanding and cooperation, but as a sign of weakness and proof that the system of rule of fallible autocrats should be abolished. A small group of soldiers and civil servants began secretly plotting to overthrow absolute monarchy and bring
1445-519: Is the most senior rank of the Royal Thai Army . The rank was formally created in 1888 together with all other ranks of the military by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), who wanted to modernize his armed forces along Western lines. There have been 13 appointments to this rank. The rank has not been awarded since 1992 and its abolition has been proposed by the Thai government in 2018. Plaek Phibunsongkhram
1530-528: The 1932 Siamese revolution . He is to date the only Siamese monarch of the Chakri dynasty to abdicate. Somdet Chaofa Prajadhipok Sakdidej ( Thai : สมเด็จเจ้าฟ้าประชาธิปกศักดิเดชน์ ) was born on 8 November 1893 in Bangkok , Siam (now Thailand) to King Chulalongkorn and Queen Saovabha Phongsri . Prince Prajadhipok was the youngest of nine children born to the couple. Overall he was the king's second-youngest child (of
1615-690: The Commander of the Royal Siamese Army . Phibun became a de facto dictator, and established a military dictatorship , consolidating his position by rewarding several members of his own army clique with influential positions in his government. After the revolution of 1932, the Thai government of Phraya Phahol was impressed by the success of the March on Rome of Benito Mussolini 's Italian fascist movement. Phibun, also an admirer of Italian fascism, sought to replicate fascist-style propaganda tactics, valued in Italy as one of
1700-593: The Coup Group . Phibun aligned Thailand with anti-communism in the Cold War , entered the Korean War under the United Nations Command , and abandoned fascism for a façade of democracy. Phibun's second term as prime minister was plagued by political instability and several attempts to launch a coup d'etat against him were made, including the Army General Staff plot in 1948, the Palace Rebellion in 1949, and
1785-901: 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 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,
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#17328485764441870-561: The Kingdom of Siam to durian farmers. His family began using the surname Khittasangkha ( Thai : ขีตตะสังคะ ) after a 1913 decree on surnames. He received his given name – meaning "strange" or "weird" in English – because of his unusual appearance as a child where his ears were positioned below his eyes, rather than above his eyes like others. Plaek's paternal grandfather was a Chinese immigrant from Guangdong of Cantonese descent. However,
1955-569: The Manhattan Rebellion in 1951. Phibun attempted to transform Thailand into an electoral democracy from the mid-1950s onward, but was overthrown in 1957 and went into exile in Japan, where he died in 1964. At fifteen years and one month, Phibun's term as Prime Minister of Thailand was the longest to date. Phibun was born Plaek on 14 July 1897 in Mueang Nonthaburi , Nonthaburi Province, in
2040-519: The Memorial Bridge to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Chakri dynasty. These proposals met strong opposition from Prince Damrong and other royal members of the Supreme Council and despite his own misgivings that to not proceed would result in a coup against his government, the king ultimately did not make the planned announcement. On 20 January 1932, with the country deep in depression,
2125-579: The National Assembly ousted Phibun as prime minister and his six-year reign as the military commander-in-chief came to an end. Phibun's resignation was partly forced by two grandiose plans: one was to relocate the capital from Bangkok to a remote site in the jungle near Phetchabun in north central Thailand, and another was to build a "Buddhist city" in Saraburi . Announced at a time of severe economic difficulty, these ideas turned many government officers against him. After his resignation, Phibun went to stay at
2210-466: The Palace Rebellion was another failed coup attempt against Phibun to restore Pridi Phanomyong by occupying the Grand Palace in Bangkok and declaring a new government led by Direk Jayanama , a close associate of Pridi. The civilian rebels were quickly ousted from the palace, but fighting broke out between military rebels and loyalists which lasted for over a week. On 29 June 1951, Phibun was attending
2295-657: The Seri Manangkhasila Party , which was dominated by the most influential in the military and the government. The Employment Act of January 1957 legalized trade unions, limited weekly working hours, regulated holidays and overtime , and instituted health and safety regulations. The International Workers' Day became a public holiday. Phibun's second premiership was longer but plagued with political instability , and there were numerous attempts to oppose his rule and remove him from power. Unlike his first premiership, Phibun faced noticeable opposition from people connected to
2380-553: The attack on Pearl Harbor ), Phibun was reluctantly forced to order a general ceasefire after just one day of resistance and allow the Japanese armies to use the country as a base for their invasions of the British colonies of Burma and Malaya . Hesitancy, however, gave way to enthusiasm after the Japanese rolled through the Malayan Campaign in a " Bicycle Blitzkrieg" with surprisingly little resistance. On 21 December Phibun signed
2465-555: The interwar period . Phibun adopted the fascist salute , modelled on the Roman salute , using it during speeches. The salute was not compulsory in Thailand, and it was opposed by Luang Wichitwathakan and many cabinet members as they believed it inappropriate for Thai culture. Together with Wichitwathakan, the Minister of Propaganda, he built a leadership cult in 1938 and thereafter. Photographs of Phibun were to be found everywhere, and those of
2550-463: The "father of Thai democracy", who already intended to usher in democracy before the Khana Ratsadon prematurely carried out their revolution. Prajadhipok's abdication statement is often cited in support of this view. Later historians have challenged it as a myth, citing evidence that Prajadhipok's political maneuvers leading up to his abdication had more to do with preserving the power and status of
2635-640: The 1950s and 1960s among the leaders of China. Phibun was reportedly thrilled by the democracy and freedom of speech he had witnessed during a long trip abroad to the United States and Europe in 1955. Following the example of Hyde Park in London, he set up a " Speakers' Corner " at the Sanam Luang in Bangkok. Phibun began to democratize Thailand by allowing the formation of new political parties, amnestied political opponents, and planned free elections . Phibun founded and became chairman of his own new political party,
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2720-565: The Coup Group and it consolidated the military's hold on the country. It reinstated the Constitution of 1932 , which effectively eliminated the Senate , established a unicameral legislature composed equally of elected and government-appointed members, and allowed serving military officers to supplement their commands with important ministerial portfolios . In 1954 Phibun allied Thailand further with
2805-583: The Free Thai Movement due to his alliance with the Japanese, including from within the military. Additionally, Phibun was indebted to the powerful Coup Group that had returned him to power. On 1 October 1948, the unsuccessful Army General Staff Plot was launched by members of the army general staff to topple his government, but failed when discovered by the Coup Group. As a result, more than fifty army and reserve officers and several prominent supporters of Pridi Phanomyong were arrested. On 26 February 1949,
2890-545: The French tactical victory at the Battle of Ko Chang prompted intervention from the Japanese , who mediated an armistice where the French were forced to cede the disputed territories to Thailand. Phibun and the Thai public viewed the outcome of the Franco-Thai War as a victory, but it resulted in the rapidly expanding Japanese gaining the right to occupy French Indochina. Although Phibun was ardently pro-Japanese, he now shared
2975-624: The German Luftwaffe in 1940, the couple again moved, first to a small house in Devon , and then to Lake Vyrnwy Hotel in Powys , Wales, where the former king had a heart attack. The couple returned to Compton House, as he expressed his preference to die there. King Prajadhipok died from heart failure on 30 May 1941. His cremation was held at the Golders Green Crematorium in north London. It
3060-531: The King and the royalists seemed to be able to compromise with Khana Ratsadon. The constitutional bill which was drafted by Pridi Banomyong and intended to be a permanent one was made temporary. The new constitution restored some of the monarch's lost power and status. Among them were introduction of unelected half of the House of Representatives and royal veto power. The country's first prime minister Phraya Manopakorn Nititada
3145-507: The Minister of Foreign Affairs to prepare a constitution. The task of drafting this document was given to the American Raymond B. Stevens and Phaya Sri Wisarn Waja. In March the following year they submitted an "Outline of Changes in the Form of Government" together with their comments. Prajadhipok originally planned to announce the new constitution to the nation of 6 April at the opening of
3230-450: The People's Republic of China. Phibun's anti-Chinese campaign was resumed, with the government restricting Chinese immigration and undertaking various measures to restrict economic domination of the Thai market by those of Chinese descent. Chinese schools and associations were once again shut down. Despite open pro-Western and anti-Chinese policies, in the late 1950s Phibun arranged to send two of
3315-530: The Privy Council, which had over 200 members at that time, as a quasi-legislative body. This large of an assembly proved too cumbersome, and in 1927 Prajadhipok created the Committee of the Privy Council consisting of 40 members selected from the royal family or nobility. The committee was received positively by the press and was envisaged as a forerunner of a parliament or National Assembly. In practice however
3400-458: The West in the Cold War by helping establish SEATO . In 1956, it became clearer that Plaek, allied to Phao, was losing to another influential group led by Sarit which consisted of "Sakdina" (royalties and royalists). Both Plaek and Phao intended to bring home Pridi Banomyong to clear his name from the mystery around the death of King Rama VIII. However, the US government disapproved, and they cancelled
3485-413: The abdicated King Prajadhipok were banned. His quotes appeared in newspapers, were plastered on billboards, and were repeated over the radio. Phibun immediately promoted Thai nationalism (to the point of ultranationalism ), and to support this policy, he launched a series of major reforms, known as the Thai Cultural Revolution , to increase the pace of modernisation in Thailand. His goal aimed to uplift
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3570-525: The army headquarters in Lopburi . Khuang Aphaiwong replaced Phibun as prime minister, ostensibly to continue relations with the Japanese, but, in reality, to secretly assist the Free Thai Movement. At the war's end, Phibun was put on trial at Allied insistence on charges of having committed war crimes , mainly that of collaborating with the Axis powers . However, he was acquitted amid intense pressure as public opinion
3655-427: The best one and abandon others. He would often rely upon the Supreme Council to prod him in a particular direction. From the beginning of his reign King Prajadhipok was acutely aware that political change was necessary if the monarchy was to be preserved. He viewed his newly established Supreme Council as an institutional check upon the powers of an absolute monarch. During 1926, Prajadhipok experimented with using
3740-465: The children of Sang Phathanothai , his closest advisor, to China with the intention of establishing a backdoor channel for dialogue between China and Thailand. Sirin Phathanothai , aged eight, and her brother, aged twelve, were sent to be brought up under the assistants of Premier Zhou Enlai as his wards . Sirin later wrote The Dragon's Pearl , an autobiography telling her experiences growing up in
3825-499: The command of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat , who had earlier sworn to be Phibun's most loyal subordinate. Sarit was supported by many royalists who wanted to regain a foothold, and there were rumours that the United States was "deeply involved" in the coup. Phibun was then forced into exile after the coup, first fleeing to Cambodia , but later settled in Japan after Sarit's new regime rejected his requests to allow him to return to Thailand. In 1960, Phibun briefly travelled to India to be
3910-462: The committee remained relatively unimportant and sadly did not develop into a more powerful or representative body. In 1926 Prajadhipok wrote a lengthy memorandum to his American adviser Francis B. Sayre titled "Problems of Siam" in which he set forth nine questions he felt were the most serious facing the nation. The third question asked whether Siam should have a parliamentary system, which Prajadhipok doubted. The fourth question asked whether Siam
3995-401: The country's official English name from "Siam" to "Thailand" at Wichitwathakan's urging. The name "Siam" was an exonym of unknown and probably foreign origin, which conflicted with Phibun's nationalist policies. In 1941, in the midst of World War II , Phibun decreed 1 January as the official start of the new year instead of the traditional Songkran date on 13 April. Phibun exploited
4080-472: The coup plotters in a royal audience. As they entered the room, Prajadhipok greeted them, saying "I rise in honour of the Khana Ratsadorn." It was a significant gesture because, according to previous royal rituals, monarchs were to remain seated while their subjects made obeisance, this showed that Prajadhipok was acknowledging the changed circumstances. In the early stages of the constitutional monarchy,
4165-651: The economic power of Siam's Teochew-Hoklo population and encouraged the Central Thai people to purchase as many Thai products as possible. In a speech in 1938, Luang Wichitwathakan, himself of one-quarter Chinese ancestry, followed Rama VI 's book Jews of the East in comparing the Teochew in Siam to the Jews in Germany, who at the time were harshly repressed. On 24 June 1939, Phibun changed
4250-665: The economy. The following year, Phibun and his military allies successfully crushed the Boworadet Rebellion , a royalist revolt led by Prince Boworadet . The new king, Ananda Mahidol , was still a child studying in Switzerland , and the Parliament appointed Colonel Prince Anuwatjaturong, Lieutenant Commander Prince Aditya Dibabha , and Chao Phraya Yommaraj (Pun Sukhum) as his regents . On 16 December 1938, Phibun replaced Phraya Phahon as Prime Minister of Thailand and as
4335-439: The entire cabinet of ministry heads had been replaced with newly appointed Princes or nobles, with only three former members being re-appointed. While the family appointments brought back men of talent and experience, they also signalled a return to royal oligarchy. The king clearly wished to demonstrate a clear break with the discredited sixth reign, and his choice of men to fill the top positions appeared to be guided largely by
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#17328485764444420-418: The family was completely assimilated, being considered Central Thai people , since most of Chinese in Thailand are Teochew , Plaek did not pass the criteria for being considered Chinese as well, enabling him to successfully conceal and deny his Chinese roots. He studied in Buddhist temples before joining the Royal Military Academy ; upon graduation in 1914, he was commissioned into the Royal Siamese Army as
4505-443: The government and restored its power. He played an active role in an anti-revolutionary network, which also aimed to assassinate Khana Ratsadon's leaders. In October 1933, the maverick Prince Boworadej , a former minister of defence, led an armed revolt against the government. In the Boworadet Rebellion , he mobilised several provincial garrisons and marched on Bangkok, occupying the Don Muang aerodrome. Prince Boworadej accused
4590-445: The government did not comply, on 14 October Prajadhipok announced his intention to abdicate unless his requests were met. The People's Party rejected the ultimatum, and on 2 March 1935, Prajadhipok abdicated, to be replaced by Ananda Mahidol . Prajadhipok issued a brief statement criticising the regime that included the following phrases, since often quoted by critics of Thailand's slow political development. I am willing to surrender
4675-413: The government of being disrespectful to the monarch and of promoting communism, and demanded that government leaders resign. However, the rebellion ultimately failed. The king did not directly support the rebellion, but there was a cheque from the treasury to Boworadej. The insurrection diminished the king's prestige. When the revolt began, Prajadhipok immediately informed the government that he regretted
4760-466: The king convened a "round table" meeting to discuss the many competing arguments and to agree on how to tackle the crisis. From this meeting it was agreed to make large cuts in government spending and implement a retrenchment programme. Two weeks later on 5 February the king addressed a group of military officers and spoke at length about the economic situation. In this speech he remarked "I myself know nothing at all about managing finances, and all I can do
4845-529: The king's wish, and another House member criticized the king for being unbearable. Prajadhipok, whose relations with the Khana Ratsadon had been deteriorating for some time, went on a tour of Europe before visiting England for medical treatment. He continued to correspond with the government regarding the conditions under which he would continue to serve. He tried to retain some of the royal powers, such as power to veto law with no possible override. Other disagreements were on royal assets and royal benefits. After
4930-409: The king). The People's Party demanded Prajadhipok become a constitutional monarch and grant Thai people a constitution. In the event of a negative response, they reserved the right to declare Siam a republic. The king immediately accepted the People's Party's request and the first "permanent" constitution of Siam was promulgated on 10 December. Prajadhipok returned to Bangkok on 26 June and received
5015-449: The military coup risked international disapproval. Pridi Phanomyong was persecuted but was aided by British and US intelligence officers, and thus managed to escape the country. On 8 April 1948, Phibun assumed the position of Prime Minister after the military forced Khuang out of office. Phibun's second premiership was notably different, abandoning the fascist styling and rhetoric that characterised his first premiership, and instead promoted
5100-479: The most powerful propaganda instruments of political power. In Italy, its main purpose was to promote nationalism and militarism , strengthen the unity and harmony of the state, and glorify the policy of ruralisation in Italy and abroad. As a consequence of the fascist leanings of Thai political leaders, Italian propaganda films including newsreels, documentaries, short films, and full-length feature films, such as Istituto Luce Cinecittà , were shown in Thailand during
5185-547: The national spirit and moral code of the nation and instil progressive tendencies and a newness into Thai life. A series of cultural mandates were issued by the government, which encouraged all Thais to salute the flag in public places, learn the new national anthem and use the standardised Thai language (not regional dialects or languages). People were encouraged to adopt Western-style attire as opposed to traditional clothing styles, and eat with Western-style utensils, such as forks and spoons , rather than with their hands as
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#17328485764445270-410: The plan. In February 1957, public opinion turned against Phibun at the end of his second term when his party was suspected of fraudulent practices during an election, including the intimidation of the opposition, buying votes, and electoral fraud . In addition, critics of Phibun accused him of a lack of respect for the Thai monarchy , as the anti- aristocratic prime minister had always sought to limit
5355-416: The powers I formerly exercised to the people as a whole, but I am not willing to turn them over to any individual or any group to use in an autocratic manner without heeding the voice of the people. The former king had good grounds for complaint. Reaction to the abdication was muted. Stowe wrote that the absolutism of the monarchy had been replaced by that of the People's Party, with the military looming in
5440-465: The prominent foreign minister who had advocated continued resistance against the Japanese, was later sent to Tokyo as an ambassador. The United States considered Thailand to be a puppet state of Japan and refused to declare war on it. When the Allies were victorious, the United States blocked British efforts to impose a punitive peace. In 1944, as the Japanese neared defeat and the underground anti-Japanese Free Thai Movement steadily grew in strength,
5525-412: The role of the monarchy to a constitutional minimum and had taken on religious functions that traditionally belonged to the monarch. For example, Phibun led the celebrations of the 2500th anniversary of Buddhism in 1956/57 instead of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej , who was openly critical of Phibun. On 16 September 1957, Phibun was eventually overthrown in a coup d'etat by members of the Royal Thai Army under
5610-418: The royal family, although to emphasise the break with the previous reign the selected five had all fallen out of favour with the previous monarch. The council thus comprised three of the king's uncles, Prince Bhanurangsi, Prince Naris and Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and two of his half-brothers, Prince Kitiyakon (Prince Chantaburi) and Prince Boriphat. Many of the Princes of the Supreme Council felt that it
5695-432: The separation between personal and royal assets as he did not want to pay tax, and protested an amendment to diminish the king's consideration of death sentence over the courts. After many losses to Khana Ratsadon, the king seemed to change his stance and expressed support for democracy and blamed Khana Ratsadon for being anti-democratic. However, Phibul later discussed in the House that unelected parliamentary members were
5780-405: The strife and civil disturbances. The royal couple then took refuge at Songkhla , in the far south. The king's withdrawal from the scene was interpreted by the Khana Ratsadorn as a failure to do his duty. By not throwing his full support behind government forces, he had undermined their trust in him. In 1934 the Assembly voted to amend civil and military penal codes. The king vetoed the changes to
5865-500: The throne, as his brothers all died within a relatively short period. In 1925, King Vajiravudh himself died at the age of 44. Prajadhipok became absolute monarch at only thirty-two. He was crowned King of Siam on 25 February 1926. Relatively unprepared for his new responsibilities, Prajadhipok was nevertheless intelligent, diplomatic in his dealings with others, modest, and eager to learn. However, he had inherited serious political and economic problems from his predecessor. The budget
5950-426: The wings as the ultimate arbiter of power. Prajadhipok spent the rest of his life with Queen Rambhai Barni in England. At the time of abdication, the couple lived at Knowle House, in Surrey , just outside London. However, this house was not suitable considering his health, so they moved to a smaller house in Virginia Water (still in Surrey), but with more space. The house was named "Hangmoor", but wishing to give it
6035-492: Was a conservative and royalist nobleman. The compromise broke down quickly. He did not contest when his interpretation of Pridi's economic plan, which also aim on land reform and seizure of royal land, was released with his signature. The king played a role in the coup d'état of April 1933 , where the House was ordered to close by the prime minister. He signed an order to execute Khana Ratsadon leaders. But Khana Ratsadon's military wing leader Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena ousted
6120-415: Was a simple affair attended by just Queen Ramphai and a handful of close relatives. Queen Ramphaiphanni stayed at Compton House for a further eight years before she returned to Thailand in 1949, bringing the king's ashes back with her. Historian David K. Wyatt writes that Prajadhipok was "a hard-working, effective executor" who was "intellectually equal to the demands of his office", and whose main failing
6205-716: Was a wedding gift to the couple from Queen Saovabha . After the war in Europe ended, he attended the École Superieure de Guerre in France, returning to Siam to the Siamese military. During this time, he was granted the additional title Krom Luang Sukhothai (Prince of Sukhothai ). Prajadhipok lived a generally quiet life with his wife at their residence, Sukhothai Palace , next to the Chao Phraya River . The couple had no children. Prajadhipok soon found himself rising rapidly in succession to
6290-520: Was able to escape and swim back to shore when the Sri Ayutthaya was bombed by the air force, and with their hostage gone, the navy were forced to lay down their arms. "...tell your father [Pridi] that I want [him] to come back [and] help me work for the nation. I alone can no longer contest Sakdina." Plaek to one of Pridi's sons in June 1957. On 29 November 1951, the Silent Coup was staged by
6375-400: Was customary in Thai culture at the time. Phibun saw these policies as necessary, in the interest of progressivism , to change Thailand's international image from that of an undeveloped country into a civilized and modern nation. Phibun's administration encouraged economic nationalism and espoused staunch anti-Teochew sentiment . Sinophobic policies were imposed by the government to reduce
6460-587: Was heavily in deficit, and the royal financial accounts were in serious disorder. The entire world was in the throes of the Great Depression . In an institutional innovation intended to restore confidence in the monarchy and government, Prajadhipok, in what was virtually his first act as king, announced the creation of the Supreme Council of the State of Siam . This council was made up of five experienced members of
6545-443: Was held in sterling. The Minister of Finance kept Siam on the gold standard by linking the currency to the US dollar, but debate about this policy raged within the government into 1932. One impact of this policy was that Siam's rice exports became more expensive than competitor exporters, negatively impacting revenue. In mid-October 1931 the king returned from a trip to Canada and the US and ordered Prince Devawongse Varoprakar ,
6630-402: Was obtained regarding local self-government in surrounding countries, and proposals to allow certain municipalities to raise local taxes and manage their own budgets were drawn up. The fact that the public was not sufficiently educated to make the scheme work militated against the success of this administrative venture. Nevertheless, the idea of teaching the Siamese the concept of democracy through
6715-573: Was one of the leaders of the Royal Siamese Army branch of the People's Party ( Khana Ratsadon ), a political organization that staged a coup d'état which overthrew Siam's absolute monarchy and replaced it with a constitutional monarchy . Phibun, at the time a lieutenant colonel , quickly rose to prominence in the military as a "man-on-horseback". The 1932 coup was followed by the nationalization of several companies and increased state control of
6800-444: Was ready for representative government, to which Prajadhipok answered "my personal opinion is an emphatic NO". However, the king did see a possibility to introduce reform at the local level as the "next step in our educational move towards democracy". In 1926 he began moves to develop the concept of prachaphiban , or "municipality", which had emerged late in the fifth reign as a law regarding public health and sanitation. Information
6885-500: Was still favourable to him, as he was thought to have done his best to protect Thai interests. Phibun's alliance with Japan had Thailand take advantage of Japanese support to expand Thai territory into Malaya and Burma. In November 1947, Royal Thai Army units under the control of Phibun known as the Coup Group carried out the Siamese coup d'état of 1947 which forced then-Prime Minister Thawan Thamrongnawasawat to resign. The rebels installed Khuang Aphaiwong again as prime minister as
6970-536: Was succeeded by Prajadhipok's older brother (also a son of Queen Saovabha), Crown Prince Vajiravudh , who became King Rama VI. Prince Prajadhipok was by then commissioned in both the British Army and the Royal Siamese Army. With the outbreak of the First World War and the declaration of Siamese neutrality, King Vajiravudh ordered his younger brother to resign his British commission and return to Siam immediately,
7055-622: Was the first commoner to hold this rank. The Royal Thai Navy equivalent is known as Chom Phon Ruea ('Admiral of the Fleet') and Chom Phon Akat ('Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force') for the Royal Thai Air Force . Prajadhipok Prajadhipok (8 November 1893 – 30 May 1941) was the seventh king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty , titled Rama VII . His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to political and social changes during
7140-476: Was their duty to make amends for the mistakes of the previous reign, but their acts were not generally appreciated, for the government failed to communicate to the public the purpose of the policies they pursued to rectify Vajiravudh's extreme financial extravagances. Gradually these princes arrogated power to themselves, monopolising all the main ministerial positions and appointing their sons and brothers to both administrative and military posts. By April 1926 almost
7225-409: Was to underestimate the Bangkok elite's growing nationalism, and that "[a]s late as his death in exile, many would have agreed with his judgement that a move towards democracy in 1932 was premature." The idea that the 1932 revolution was premature is echoed in a common royalist sentiment that proliferated as the Thai monarchy regained status over ensuing decades. In this view, Prajadhipok is credited as
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