Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram (July 14, 1897–June 11, 1964) (Thai แปลก พิบูลสงคราม or ป. พิบูลสงคราม, lastname sometimes spelled Phibunsongkhram, Phibul Songkhram or Pibul Songgram) was Prime Minister and military dictator of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957. July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... The following is a list of Prime Ministers of Thailand: Phraya Manopakorn Nititada, (1932-1933) General Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena, (1933-1938) Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, (1938-1944) Major Khuang Abhaiwongse, (1944-1945) Tawee Boonyaket, (1945) Seni Pramoj, (1945) Major Khuang Abhaiwongse, (1946) Luang Praditmanutham, (1946) Rear Admiral Thawal Thamrong Navaswadhi...

Born Plaek Khittasangkha on July 14, 1897, he entered the Artillery Corps in 1914 upon graduation from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. Following advanced studies in France, the honorary title of Luang Pibulsonggram was bestowed upon him by King Prajadhipok in 1928. (He was later to take Pibulsonggram as his surname.) July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (Thai:โรงเรียนนายร้อยพระจุลจอมเกล้า) is the military academy of the Thai army. ... His Majesty King Prajadhipok (Rama VII, royal name พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) (November 8, 1893 - May 30, 1941) was the seventh king of the Chakri dynasty. ...

1932 Revolution

One of the leaders of the military wing of the People's Party which overthrew the absolute monarchy in 1932, Lieutenant Colonel Pibulsonggram rose to prominence as a popular man-on-horseback when he, along with officers of the same cause, successfully crushed a royalist revolt the following year.

Prime Minister of Thailand

In 1938 Pibulsonggram replaced Phraya Phahol as Prime Minister. As Prime Minister, and consolidated his position by removing all possible opposition---members of the royal family, elected members of the Assembly, bureaucrats, and army rivals were arrested and executed in what were to be the first political executions in Siam in over a century. General Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena (Thai พระยาพหลพลพยุหเสนา born March 29, 1887) was a Thai military leader and politician. ...

He began increasing the pace of modernisation in Thailand. By clever manipulation of the mass media, Pibulsonggram fashioned a semi-fascist regime with ultra-nationalism as its central theme. Together with Luang Wichitwathakan, the Minister of Propaganda, he built up the cult of the leader throughout 1939 and thereafter. Photographs of Pibulsonggram was to be found everywhere (in turn, those of the ex-King Prajadhipok were banned), his slogans appeared in newspapers, were plastered on billboards and repeated over the radio. Major-General Luang Wichitwathakan or Wichit Wichitwathakan (Thai หลวงวิจิตรวาทการ, วิจิตร วิจิตรวาทการ) (1898-1962) was a Thai politician, author and historian. ...

"Aimed to uplifting the national spirit and moral code of the nation and instilling progressive tendencies and a newness into Thai life", a series of Cultural Mandates were issued by the government. These mandates required that all Thais were to salute the flag, know the new national anthem (written by Wichitwathakarn), and use the national (i.e. Bangkok) language, as opposed to local dialects. People were encouraged to adopt western attires as oppose to the traditional topless style of the traditional men and women. In Pibulsonggram's views, all this was necessary for Thailand to strip away the thinkings of foreigners that Thailand is undeveloped and babaric. In the interest of progression, Thailand needed to be recognised by foreigners as equals.

In 1939, Pibulsonggram changed the country's name from Siam to Thailand.

His regime also embarked upon a course of economic nationalism, in which the Thai people were to support only Thai products and therefore destroy the Chinese hold on the market. Anti-Chinese policies were also undertaken; indeed, in a speech in 1938 Luang Wichitwathakarn compared the Chinese in Siam to the Jews in Germany.

While ardently pro-Japanese at the beginning, Pibulsonggram and his regime soon considerably but cordially distanced itself from Japan following the aftermath of the French-Thai War, when Japanese territorial ambitions were skillfully realised during the peace talks. (The Japanese gained the right to occupy French Indo-China.) With war looming on the horizon, Pibulsonggram quickly deduced that the Japanese would be the aggressors. However, the government also realised that Thailand would stand alone when the Japanese onslaught came, considering the deteriorating relationships with the major Western powers in the area. Combatants Image:Flag of Vichy France. ...

Alliance with Japan

When war did come on December 8, 1941, a hesitant Pibulsonggram was reluctantly forced to order a general ceasefire and to allow the Japanese armies to use the country as a springboard for the invasions of Burma and Malaya.^{[citation needed]} However, hesitancy gave way to enthusiasm when the Japanese surprisingly blitzkrieged their way through Malaya.^{[citation needed]} On December 12, a military alliance with Japan was concluded. A month later, on January 25, 1942, Thailand declared war on the United States and Great Britain. Those who opposed the declaration were forced from the government: Pridi Phanomyong was appointed regent for the absent King Ananda Mahidol, while Direk Jayanama, the prominent Foreign Minister who had advocated resistance against the Japanese, ironically became the ambassador to Tokyo. December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... Map of Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 19 days remaining. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Pridi Phanomyong Pridi Phanomyong (May 11, 1900 - May 2, 1983) was a Thai politician. ... King Ananda Mahidol or Rama VIII (long royal name: Phrabat Somdej Phra Paramenthara Maha Ananda Mahidol Phra Athama Ramathibodinthra พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล พระอัฐมรามาธิบดินทร (roughly HM King Ananda Mahidol, the Eighth Ruler) (September 20, 1925 - June 9, 1946) was the eighth king of the Chakri dynasty of Thailand. ...

When the tide finally turned against Japan, Pibulsonggram was forced to resign by the pro-Seri Thai National Assembly, thus ending his six-year reign as military strongman. Pibulsonggram went to reside at army headquarters in Lopburi, where he bided his time. Meanwhile, Khuang Abhaiwongse was made prime minister ostensibly to continue relations with the Japanese, while at the same time secretly assisting the Seri Thai underground. The Free Thai Movement or Khabuankan Seri Thai (Thai ขบวนการเสรีไทย) was a secret underground movement of a group of Thai people against Japan during World War II. This movement was one of the important sources to the Allies for intelligence in this region. ... Lop Buri (Thai ลพบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Major Khuang Abhaiwongse (May 17, 1902 - March 15, 1968; Thai ควง อภัยวงศ์) was three times prime minister of Thailand. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

At the war's end, Pibulsonggram was put on trial by the Allies on charges of having committed war crimes, mainly that of collaborating with the enemy. However, the charges were dropped and he got off due to intense public pressure. (Public opinion was favourable to Pibulsonggram, since he was thought to have done his best to protect Thai interests).^[1]

Coup and second premiership

In November 1947, army units under the control of Pibulsonggram carried out a coup which forced the Thamrong government to step down. The hapless Khuang was again installed as prime minister as the military coup risked international disapproval. Pridi was hunted down but managed to escape the country. On April 8, 1948, the military forced Khuang out of office and Pibulsonggram himself assumed the Premiership once more. Rear Admiral Thawal Thamrong Navaswadhi (also spelled as Thawal Thamrongnavasawat) (November 21, 1901— December 3, 1988) was the 8th prime minister of Thailand from 1946-1947 Categories: | | | | ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ...

Pibulsonggram again started his term of office with maneuvres to consolidate power; civilian rivals and members of the opposition were arrested and executed in extra-constitutional fashion. Among the victims of the death squads of the notorious Police General Phao Sriyanond was the civilian assemblyman and one-time noted Seri Thai leader from Roi Et, Tiang Sirikhanth. Phao Sriyanond (March 1, 1910 - November 21, 1960) was a director general of Thailands national police. ... Roi Et (Thai ร้อยเอ็ด) is one of the provinces (changwat) of Thailand, located in the North-East of Thailand. ... Tiang Sirikhanth (December 5, 1909 - December 12, 1952) was a Thai politician and a Seri Thai leader. ...

But instead of the fascism that characterised his first government, Pibulsonggram now built for his regime a facade of democracy. American aid was received in large quantities following Thailand's entry into the Korean War in the UN's multi-national force. Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: Republic of Korea United States Britain Communist combatants: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea People’s Republic of China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Jeong Il-Gwon Douglas MacArthur Mark W. Clark Matthew Ridgway Kim Il-sung, Choi Yong-kun Peng Dehuai Strength Note: All...

Pibulsonggram's anti-Chinese campaign was resumed, with the government halting Chinese immigration and undertaking various measures to restrict Chinese economic domination of the Thai market. Chinese schools and associations were once again shut down. Despite open pro-western and anti-Chinese policies, in the late 1950s Pibulsonggram arranged to send to China two of the children of Sang Phathanothai, his closest advisor, with the intention of establishing a backdoor channel for dialogue between China and Thailand; the girl aged eight and her brother aged twelve were sent to be brought up under the auspices of Premier Zhou Enlai as his wards. Sang Phathanothai (1914 – June, 1986) was a Thai politician, union leader, and journalist. ... This is a Chinese name, Zhou is the surname. ...

On June 29, 1951, Pibulsonggram was attending a ceremony aboard the USS Manhattan when he was taken hostage by a group of naval officers, who were quick to confine him on board the battleship Sri Ayutthaya. Negotiations between the government and the coup group swiftly broke down, leading to heavy street fighting in Bangkok between the navy and the army, which was supported by the air force. Pibulsonggram was able to swim back ashore when the Sri Ayutthaya was bombed by the air force; their hostage gone, the sailors and marines were forced to lay down their arms. June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

Sarit seizes power

At the end of his term, suspicions of fraudulent practices during an election came up. The resulting unrest led to a coup by Field Marshal Sarit Dhanaraj in 1957, who ironically sworned to be his most loyal subordinate. Sarit was supported by many royalists who wanted to regain their foothold in Thailand's autocracy. Pibulsonggram was then forced into exile in Japan. He remained there until his death in 1964.

References

Other Links

• Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkram (thaigov.go.th)