Major-General Luang Wichitwathakan (also known as just Wichit Wichitwathakan) ( Thai หลวงวิจิตรวาทการ, วิจิตร วิจิตรวาทการ; Chinese 金良) (11 August 189831 March 1962) was a Thai politician, diplomat, historian, novelist, and playwright. He was the originator and prime mover responsible for changing the name of the country from Siam to Thailand. หลวงวิจิตรวาทการ

Luang Wichitwathakan was prominently engaged in politics and the modernization of Thailand and was in his time the most important figure in the establishment of Thai national identity. He was the chief ideologue and creator of cultural campaigns during the pre-

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 opposing ...

military rule of Field Marshal

Plaek Pibulsonggram 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 � ...

, aimed at increasing the sense of

nationalism Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...

of the Thais.

Early life

Wichitwathakan was born Kim Liang (Chinese: 金良), the son of a merchant in

Uthai Thani Province Uthai Thani ( th, อุทัยธานี, ), one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat'') lies in lower northern Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi and ...

. According to a cousin, Wichitwathakan's paternal grandfather was Chinese. He received his primary education in a Buddhist temple school in Uthai Thani and continued the Buddhist education at Wat Mahathat in Bangkok where he excelled in Buddhist studies, reaching a high stage of Prien and graduating first in the kingdom. At the age of 16 years, he received royal award from

King Vajiravudh Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his effort ...

for academic excellence. While still a monk in Wat Mahatat, Wichitwathakan wrote extensively in papers which he circulated among the monks. The papers were written in English, French, or German and were sometimes inflammatory regarding temple rules and regulations. This was finally stopped by the abbot, who prohibited the use of Western languages. At the age of 20, Wichitwathakan decided to leave the monkhood in favor of secular life and was admitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a junior clerk. From this position in 1918, Wichitwathakan rose, through his own exceptional capability and diligence, to become Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1942.

Service in France

In 1921, Wichitwathakan was posted to the Royal Siamese Legation (equivalent to present-day

embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually den ...

) in

Paris, France Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

, as Third Secretary. During his five years in Europe, Wichitwathakan served as a member of the Siamese delegation that attended and participated in deliberations of the

League of Nations The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...

Geneva, Switzerland Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situa ...

. He also studied law and political science at the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

. It was in Paris that he developed close friendships with the future

revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

aries,

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 ...

, also studying Law at

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

, and Plaek Pibulsongkram, a military officer studying

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

in France.

Marriage

While in Paris, Wichit took French lessons from Lucienne Laffitte (née Guillaume), a cultivated French lady who was well-read and musically gifted. They subsequently married and together returned to Siam in the year 1927. While Wichitwathakan continued to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Madame Lucienne collaborated with him in several of his important historical publications, notably Prawatsart Sakon (Universal History). Despite this creative partnership and the births of a son and a daughter, the marriage dissolved six years later and Madame Lucienne returned to France with her two children. Luang Wichitwathakan subsequently married Prapapan Raphiphan (Khunying Prapapan Vichit-Vadakan), a teacher of history and daughter of Khoon Vorasarndarunkit who was in charge of education in northern Siam under King Rama V.

In Siam

After his return to Siam, Wichitwathakan met again with Pridi Phanomyong and Plaek Pibulsongkram, the conspirators of the Siamese coup d'état of 1932. Wichitwathakan was chairman of the committee which proposed changing the country's name from Siam to Thailand at the state convention in 1939. He led an

irredentist Irredentism is usually understood as a desire that one state annexes a territory of a neighboring state. This desire is motivated by ethnic reasons (because the population of the territory is ethnically similar to the population of the parent st ...

campaign after being presented a map produced by Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient showing the Thai race inhabiting the areas of Siam,

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

, and

southern China South China () is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is that most of its citizens are not n ...

. Wichitwathakan estimated from this map that there were approximately 60 million Thais inhabiting the lands of southern China and

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...

, and through his personal crusade as both a historian and a politician, as well as chairman of the parliamentary committee in charge of making the name change, succeeded in changing the name of the country from Siam to Thailand when the state convention ratified the committee's proposal in 1939.

Revolutionary role

Although Wichitwathakan did not participate in the revolution against King Prajadhipok, he performed an important role in the conversion from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy. When Pridi Phanomyong started the clandestine party called

Khana Ratsadon The People's Party, known in Thai as Khana Ratsadon ( th, คณะราษฎร, ), was a Siamese group of military and civil officers, and later a political party, which staged a bloodless revolution against King Prajadhipok's government a ...

(People's Party), he consulted with former Thai friends from Paris, namely Field Marshal Pibulsongkram, Wichitwathakan, Prayun Phamonmontri, and Thatsanai Mitraphakdi. Pridi Phanomyong specifically asked Wichitwathakan to join this secret association, whose purpose was to overthrow the absolute monarchy. Wichitwathakan at this point in time still maintained loyalty to

King Prajadhipok Prajadhipok ( th, ประชาธิปก, RTGS: ''Prachathipok'', 8 November 1893 – 30 May 1941), also Rama VII, was the seventh monarch of Siam of the Chakri dynasty. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to political and ...

and was in favor of a conciliatory approach with regard to the Siamese royalty. Concerned about the

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...

ic and communistic ideology of Pridi Phanomyong, Wichitwathakan formed a royalist and free enterprise party called Kana Chart (National Party) while continuing to attend the clandestine meetings of the Khana Ratsadon Party. When King Prajadhipok indicated his willingness to support the armed royalist challenge to the People's Party and gave his blessing to Prince Bovoradej to mobilize his soldiers and attack Bangkok, Wichitwathakan forsook his loyalty to the king to align himself with the representative government as a member of the national assembly. While Pibulsongkram fought the insurrection of Prince Bovoradej militarily, Wichitwathakan played an important political role by being in charge of convincing the public and uncommitted military forces in the provinces to side with the government.

Wartime service

In 1942, Wichitwathakan became Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Field Marshal Pibulsongkram and was responsible for negotiating free passage for the invading Japanese army in exchange for maintaining the sovereignty and independence of Thailand. He then assumed the duty of Thai Ambassador to Japan during the remainder of

, being stationed in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

. Upon the unconditional surrender of Japan to the Allies at the end of World War II, Wichitwathakan was arrested by the US occupying forces along with the German Ambassador, Italian Ambassador, and the entire Japanese Cabinet. His wife, Khunying Wichitwathakan, requested and obtained a personal audience with General Douglas MacArthur during which she succeeded in explaining to him that as foreign minister, her husband had no alternative but to negotiate a treaty of free passage in exchange for maintaining the independence of Thailand. General Douglas MacArthur released Wichitwathakan from imprisonment and allowed him to return to Thailand on an American airplane. On arrival to Bangkok, Wichitwathakan was rearrested and imprisoned by the new postwar government of Prime Minister

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� ...

. Wichitwathakan was incarcerated along with former Prime Minister Field Marshal Pibulsongkram, to be tried in Thai court as war criminals. Among the principal allied forces, the British and the French wanted Pibulsongkram and Wichitwathakan to face the firing squad while the US alone insisted on a trial before punishment. Subsequently, all charges against them were dropped for lack of corroborating evidence. Field Marshal Pibulsongkram and Luang Wichitwathakan were acquitted of all political accusations and released from incarceration.

Post-war service

After having been granted freedom, Luang Wichitwathakan temporarily dissociated himself from politics and became a nationally prominent playwright, author, and historian. Most of his plays, songs, fictions as well as history and religious books were composed during the three years following his release from incarceration. In 1947, Luang Wichitwathakan assisted Field Marshal Pibulsongkram in staging a coup d'état which toppled the existing government from power. Wichitwathakan served in the new government as Minister of Finance and Minister of Economic Affairs and subsequently became Ambassador to India in 1952 and Ambassador to Switzerland, Austria, and Yugoslavia in 1953. He also promoted the unification and nationalism of the people of Thailand by composing a series of nationalistic theatrical works, known as the ''Anupap'' series, which were performed at the National Theater. This series of plays, titled ''Anupap Porkoon Ramkamhaeng'' (Power of King Ramkamhaeng), ''Anupap Haeng Kwam Seasara'' (Power of Sacrifice), ''Anupap Haeng Kwam Rak'' (Power of Love) were composed at the urging of Prime Minister Pibulsongkram with the purpose of strengthening the unity and cohesiveness of the Thai people. In 1958, Luang Wichitwathakan participated in the coup d'état staged by 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 ...

and removed Field Marshal Pibulsongkram from power. Wichitwathakan assumed the title of Paladbunchagarn of the Prime Minister's Office, equivalent to the position of Vice Prime Minister, Chef du Cabinet, or Secretary-General of Office of the Prime Minister. He served Field Marshal Sarit as his closest confidant and advisor and politically played an active role in promoting the nationalism of the people of Thailand. Wichitwathakan died in 1962 at age 64 after a long cardiac illness.

Appointments

*1934-1942: Director General of the Department of Fine Arts *1942-1943: Minister of Foreign Affairs *1943-1945: Ambassador to Japan *1951-1952:

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

*1952: Minister of Economic Affairs *1952-1953: Ambassador to India *1953-1957: Ambassador to Switzerland, Austria and Yugoslavia *1957-1962: Paladbunchagarn - Office of the Prime Minister

Published works

Plays

* Leod Supan (Blood of Supan) * Rachamanu * Suek Talang (Battle of Talang * Pra jao Krung Thon (King of Thonburi) * Tai Dab Na (Death at next Sword) * Po Kun Pa Mueng (King Pa Mueng) * Petch Pra Narai (Diamond of King Narai * Lan Leod Lan Rug (Territory of Blood Territory of Love) * Sriharajdecho * Dab Saen Mueng (Sword of a Hundred Thousand Cities) * Pra Naresuan Pragard Issarapap (King Naresuan Declares Independence) * Rachatida Pra Ruang (Royal Daughter of Pra Ruang) * Jao Ying Gannigar (Princess Gannigar) * Jao Ying Sanwee (Princess Sanwee) * Krut Dum (Black Garuda) * Anupap Po Kun Ramkamhang (Power of King Ramkamhang) * Anupap hang Kwam Rug (Power of Love) * Anupap Hang Kwam Seasara (Power of Sacrifice)

Fiction

* Pan Tong Rong Leod (Golden Receptacle for Blood) * Dok Fa Jampasak (Celestial Flower of Jampasak) * Ballang Chieng Rung (Throne of Chieng Rung) * Morasum Hang Cheevit (Tempest of Life) * Petch Pra Narai (Diamond of King Narai) * Plee Cheep Pue Choo (Sacrificing Life for Lover) * Huang Rug Hav Luek (Bond of Love Deep Crevice) * Fak Fa Salawin (Horizon of Salawin) * Athit Asadong (Western Sunset) * Lek Lang Kan (Iron for Vengeance)

Non-Fiction

* Mun Samong (Brain) * Puttanupap (Power of Buddhism) * Jittanupap (Power of Mind) * Manusapatiwat (Human Revolution) * Mahaburus (Great Men) * Kong Dee Nai India (Good things in India) * Vicha Paed Pragarn (Eight Sources of Knowledge) * Vicha Krong Ruen Krong Rug (Science of Domesticity and Love) * Vitee Tam Ngarn lae Srang Anakot (Way to Work and Build Future) * Anakot kong Chart (Future of Nation) * Sangsawang Nai Kwam Mued (Brightness in The dark) * Sassana Sagol (Universal religion) * Prawatsart Sagol (Universal History) * Watanatum Sukothai (Civilization of Sukothai) * Kwam Fun (Dream)

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wichitwathakan, Luang 20th-century Thai historians Thai politicians Thai nationalists Thai diplomats Thai generals Luang (nobility) MPs of the 1st National Assembly of Thailand MPs of the 2nd National Assembly of Thailand MPs of the 3rd National Assembly of Thailand MPs of the 4th National Assembly of Thailand MPs of the 5th National Assembly of Thailand MPs of the 6th National Assembly of Thailand Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Ministers of Commerce of Thailand Ministers of Finance of Thailand Academics of Chulalongkorn University Academics of Thammasat University Ambassadors of Thailand to India Ambassadors of Thailand to Japan Ambassadors of Thailand to Switzerland Ambassadors of Thailand to Austria Ambassadors of Thailand to Yugoslavia People from Uthai Thani province Thai politicians of Chinese descent Thai collaborators with Imperial Japan University of Paris alumni 1898 births 1962 deaths Thai fascists