Colonel Thep Phanthumsen ( th, เทพ พันธุมเสน; 12 August 1892 – 1 June 1944), better known by the noble title Phraya Songsuradet (), was a Thai military officer and member of the
People's Party. As a cadet he studied at the Royal Prussian Main Cadet Institute and was a leading member of the senior army officers responsible for the
Siamese revolution of 1932. After the revolution, he became ''
de facto'' chief of the whole military.
He had conflicts with
Plaek Phibunsongkhram, who was a junior military officer in many serious matters. After Phibunsongkhram's rise to power in 1938, these conflicts became the allegations in the subsequent of
Songsuradet rebellion.
Biography
Thep Phanthumsen was born in a military family on 12 August 1892 at his father's home at Suan Chao Chet (location of
Territorial Defense Command
The Territorial Defense Command ( th, หน่วยบัญชาการรักษาดินแดน), known as the Army Reserve Command () from 2001–2009 and the Territorial Defence Department () before that, is a department of the Roy ...
in present) on
Charoen Krung Road
Shophouses along Charoen Krung road with the Sathorn Unique Tower in the vicinity (2021)
Charoen Krung Road ( th, ถนนเจริญกรุง, ) is a major road in Bangkok and the first in Thailand to be built using modern construction ...
, Phra Nakhon Province (later Bangkok). His father was an
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 sieges, ...
officer named Lieutenant Tai Bandhumasena (ร้อยโท ไท้ พันธุมเสน), who served in the 1st Battery of Artillery. While he was studying in the Royal Military Academy (later
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA) ( th, โรงเรียนนายร้อยพระจุลจอมเกล้า, translit=Roong riian naai rɔ́ɔi prá Jù-lá-jɔɔm-glâo or รร.จปร.) is the service academy of ...
) his parents suddenly died. He therefore got his older brother to be a benefactor, with being an excellent cadet therefore received a scholarship to study the
army engineer
Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications. Military engineers are also responsible for logistics b ...
science in Imperial Germany. Upon graduation, he received the rank of Fähnrich (Private First Class). After that, he continued his studies at the commissioned military level until he received the rank of Degen-Fähnrich (Acting Second Lieutenant) and entered the military service in
Magdeburg, later he returned to Siam (presently Thailand) in the year 1915, total of 8 years of living in Imperial Germany.
Thanks to his time in Germany, he fluent in both Thai and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
.
In Siam, he was an engineer who played a huge role in constructing
railways
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...
in many regions of the country, such as
northern line from
Khun Tan Tunnel to
Chiang Mai Province
Chiang Mai ( th, เชียงใหม่, ; nod, , ) is the largest Province ('' changwat'') of Thailand. It lies in upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It is bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, La ...
etc. He received the highest rank as a Colonel and highest duty was Chief of Directorate of Operations in 1932 shortly before the revolution. Which all plans in the revolution, he was all thinking and planning himself and did not reveal to anyone before until one day before actual action. Because he was a highly respected person in the military circles as a military academic. He was regarded as one of ''The Four Musketeers'' (สี่ทหารเสือ; consist of Phraya Songsuradej,
Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena
Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena, (29 March 1887 – 14 February 1947) (short form: Phraya Phahon), born as Phot Phahonyothin, was a Thai military leader and politician. He became the second prime minister of Siam in 1933 after ousting his pr ...
, Phraya Ritthiakhaney and Phra Phrasasphithayayut) which was the highest leaders of Khana Ratsadon.
Sulak Sivaraksa, political critic and influencer said that he was the smartest and most talented of these four.
He was exiled to Indochina in January 1939 following a rift with the Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram. His life in
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become ...
was full of difficulties, because he had almost no assets left. He had to make a living by repairing bicycle and making dessert for sale with his wife, which had to grind flour manually.
Phraya Songsuradej died on 1 June 1944 at an abandoned mansion in Phnom Penh with
sepsis
Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is follo ...
(but with conspiracy theory that he died due to being poisoned).
[''นักการเมืองไร้แผ่นดิน'', คอลัมน์ เรื่องเก่าเล่าใหม่ โดย โรม บุนนาค. หน้า 65-66 นิตยสาร all ฉบับเดือนมกราคม พ.ศ. 2550]
Noble titles
* 20 April 1918: ''Luang Narongsongkram (หลวงณรงค์สงคราม)''
* 9 July 1924: ''Phra Songsuradej (พระทรงสุรเดช)''
* 6 November 1931: ''Phraya Songsuradej (พระยาทรงสุรเดช)''
* 15 May 1939: Abolition of nobility
Notes
References
Phraya
Government ministers of Thailand
People of the Siamese revolution of 1932
Thai military personnel
People from Bangkok
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy alumni
Deaths from sepsis
1892 births
1944 deaths
{{Thailand-bio-stub