The National Military Council ( th, คณะทหารแห่งชาติ) was the group of military officers that planned and carried out 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 ...

in November 1947 in Thailand. Their prestige and influence were quickly enhanced by Field Marshal

Plaek Phibunsongkhram 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 � ...

's return to politics. They would however outlast him and dominate

Thai politics Until 22 May 2014, the politics of Thailand were conducted within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the prime minister is the head of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. The judiciary is independent of the ex ...

for the next two decades. Most would eventually receive high ranks, becoming

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

s and

field marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

Membership

The council consisted of approximately forty junior army officers led by a small number of commanding officers, many of whom had been forced into retirement by

Pridi Phanomyong 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 ...

at the end of the

Second World War 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 opposi ...

—men with little other than conspiracy to keep themselves occupied. The coterie's leading members were Field Marshal

Sarit Thanarat Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat (also spelt ''Dhanarajata''; th, สฤษดิ์ ธนะรัชต์, ; 16 June 1908 – 8 December 1963) was a Thai general who staged a coup in 1957, replacing Plaek Phibunsongkhram as Thailand's prime m ...

, commander of the Bangkok-based First Division, Police General Phao Siyanon, the powerful chief of police, Field Marshal

Phin Chunhawan 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 ...

, Phao's father-in-law, the politically prominent Lieutenant-General Kat Katsongkhram, and Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force Fuen Ronnaphakat, the air force's combat-experienced commander. Less senior members included Phin's son, Chatchai Chunhawan, and Sarit's protégés

Thanom Kittikachorn Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn ( th, ถนอม กิตติขจร, ; 11 August 1911 – 16 June 2004) was the leader of Thailand from 1963 to 1973, during which he staged a self-coup, until public protests which exploded into viole ...

and

Praphas Charusathien Praphas Charusathien ( th, ประภาส จารุเสถียร, , ; 25 November 1912 – 18 August 1997) was a Thai military officer and politician. He was a field marshal (''chom phon'') of the Royal Thai Army and minister of inter ...

References

* * Fineman, Daniel. ''A Special Relationship: The United States and Military Government in Thailand 1947-1958''. University of Hawaii Press, 1997 * Stowe, Judith A. ''Siam Becomes Thailand: A Story of Intrigue''. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 1991 * Suwannathat-Pian, Kobkua. ''Thailand's Durable Premier: Phibun through Three Decades 1932-1957''. Oxford University Press, 1995. {{History of Thailand 1932 - 1973 20th century in Thailand 1947 in Thailand Political history of Thailand

Membership

See also

References