The 1948 Thai coup d'état was a military coup on 6 April by the 1947 coup

group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...

Khuang Aphaiwong Khuang Aphaiwong (also spelled ''Kuang'', ''Abhaiwong'', or ''Abhaiwongse''; th, ควง อภัยวงศ์, ; 17 May 1902 – 15 March 1968), also known by his noble title Luang Kowit-aphaiwong ( th, หลวงโกวิทอ� ...

, royalist allied, was forced to resign from

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

, and was replaced by

Phibun Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram ( th, แปลก พิบูลสงคราม ; alternatively transcribed as ''Pibulsongkram'' or ''Pibulsonggram''; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. ( th, จอมพล � ...

, the junta leader.

Background

In 1947, a

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

ousted the government of

Pridi Banomyong Pridi Banomyong ( th, ปรีดี พนมยงค์, , ; 11 May 1900 – 2 May 1983), also known by his noble title Luang Praditmanutham ( th, หลวงประดิษฐ์มนูธรรม) was a Thai politician and professo ...

's front man, Luang Thamrong, who was replaced by

, royalist supporter, as

Prime Minister of Thailand The prime minister of Thailand ( th, นายกรัฐมนตรี, , ; literally 'chief minister of state') is the head of government of Thailand. The prime minister is also the chair of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed si ...

. The coup was led by military supreme leader,

, and

Phin Choonhavan Field Marshal Phin Choonhavan ( th, ผิน ชุณหะวัณ; ; August 14, 1891 – 26 January 1973) was a Thai military leader and Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand. Phin was a leader of several coups against the government, most nota ...

and Kat Katsongkhram, allied with the

royalists A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...

to regain their political power and the

Crown Property The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different m ...

back from the Siamese revolution of 1932. An influence of the

People Party The Green Party, also known as the Green Party UK, was a Green politics, Green political party in the United Kingdom. Prior to 1985 it was called the Ecology Party, and before that PEOPLE Party, PEOPLE. In 1990, it separated into three polit ...

ended as Pridi left the country on exile.

Prelude

In the election on 29 January 1948, the Democrat Party led by Khuang, won the election with a help from the

. Khuang felt confidence over the winning and started to return the political power to the

monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...

. Shortly after the election, a group of people called themself "The Democratic Council", consists of a group of politicians led by

Phraya Thephatsadin Phraya Thephatsadin ( th, พระยาเทพหัสดิน), personal name Phat Thephatsadin na Ayutthaya ( th, ผาด เทพหัสดิน ณ อยุธยา; the surname is also spelled as Devahastin na Ayudhya) was a T ...

, including members of the Democrat Party such as Luan Pong-sophon, Phong Sittitham, Liang Chaikan, supported

by writing down on the sign, "Supporting Field Marshal Forever." They gathered at

Sanam Luang Sanam Luang ( th, สนามหลวง, ; lit: 'royal turf') is a open field and public square in front of Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand. Sanam Luang is in the Phra Nakhon District, the historic center of Bangkok. ...

and Lumphini Park, and hunted a list of people to support Phibun. Eventually, the royalist government made a law that increase the power to control the

by the monarch as the restoration of their political power and assets, which was taken to the state property by the

from the Siamese revolution of 1932. Additionally, former Queen

Rambhai Barni Queen Rambai Barni ( th, รำไพพรรณี, , ), formerly Princess Rambai Barni Svastivatana ( th, รำไพพรรณี สวัสดิวัตน์, ; born 20 December 1904 – 22 May 1984), was the wife and queen con ...

was returned the 6 million baht that the People Party seized. The

and the

junta Junta may refer to: Government and military * Junta (governing body) (from Spanish), the name of various historical and current governments and governing institutions, including civil ones ** Military junta, one form of junta, government led by ...

had setup meetings several times that they wanted Phibun and Pridi working together again, to counter the royalists intention to revive an

absolute monarchy Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power, though a limited constitut ...

system. The junta wanted to amend the 1947 interim constitution and tracked the royalists' activities.

Rangsit Prayurasakdi Rangsit Prayurasakdi, Prince of Chai Nat Province, Chai Nat ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้ารังสิตประยูรศักดิ์ กรมพระย� ...

, the regent, was dissatisfied by Phibun direction to revive the People Party back.

Coup

On 6 April 1948, at 09.00 am. A group of four officers consisting of Kan Chamnong Phumiwet, Sawat Sawatdironnachai Sawatdikeat, Khun Silapasornchai and Lamai Uthayananon confronted prime minister Khuang at his house, claiming that Khuang had a debt of 28 million baht for expenses on his way back from

Kengtung th , เชียงตุง , other_name = Kyaingtong , settlement_type = Town , imagesize = , image_caption = , pushpin_map = Myanmar , pushpin_label_position = left , ...

after the end of the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Khuang had paid back to the Ministry of Finance in the amount of 9 Million baht, but Major Khuang refused to pay another. They requested Khuang to resign from the Prime Minister in 24 hours with a reason that Mr Wong's government could not solve the economic problems of the nation that had fallen. Especially in the cost of living that has skyrocketed. At noon, Khuang sent a confederate soldier to meet the senior military officer who was the leader of the coup on 8 November 1947 at the Suankularb Palace, which was the command base. To ask for confirmation on this matter, but was not found later at 14.00 hrs.

, one of the leaders of the coup d'etat, traveled to meet Khuang by himself to the house. Khuang tried to contact with Naval commander, and the air commander for protection but no response. Khuang called the cabinet meeting at the house. Ministry of Interior ordered the police to arrest this group of military officers as a rebellion.

Kukrit Pramoj Mom Rajawongse Kukrit Pramoj ( th, คึกฤทธิ์ ปราโมช, , ; 20 April 1911 – 9 October 1995) was a Thai politician, scholar and professor. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand 1973–1974. He was t ...

, the Minister of Finance, confirmed that the government could not reduce the cost of living down. At the end of 16.00 hrs., Khuang resigned from the Prime Minister. Phibun continued as Prime Minister.

was disappointed as he tried to help Khuang by denying the resignation letter. Rangsit also ordered Senates to stop the resignation but it could not stop that.

References

Bibliography

* * {{ThaiCoups

Coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

1940s in Thailand Thai coup d'état

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...