The Seri Manangkhasila Party ( th, พรรคเสรีมนังคศิลา ) was a short-lived pro-military political party in Thailand. It was founded on 29 September 1955 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 � ...

History

The party was established on 29 September 1955 as the first political party registered after the announcement of the Political Parties Act, B.E. 1955, with

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 ...

Plaek Phibunsongkram, Prime Minister, as the party leader. The party secretary was Pol. Gen

Phao Sriyanond Police General Phao Siyanon ( th, เผ่า ศรียานนท์, also spelled Sriyanond and Sriyanon; 1 March 1910 – 21 November 1960) was a director general of Thailand's national police who was notorious for his excesses against po ...

, the Director of the

Police Department The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...

. The deputy leaders of the party were

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-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, and Air Marshal

Fuen Ronnaphagrad Ritthakhanee Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force Fuen Ronnaphagrad Ritthakhanee ( th, ฟื้น รณนภากาศ ฤทธาคนี) (21 February 1900 – 8 July 1987) was a Royal Thai Air Force officer who served as the Commander of the Ro ...

, Commander of the Royal Thai Air Force, with the party head office located at Manangkhasila House. In the election on 16 February 1957, the Seri Manangkhasila Party won the most seats with 85 MPs. However, after a conflict within the party, Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, along with a number of MPs, resigned from the party. From then on, Field Marshal Sarit encouraged Sukich Nimmanhaemin to establish a new political party named the

Sahaphum Party The Sahaphum Party ( th, พรรคสหภูมิ, sometimes translated as "United Land" or "Unionist Party") was a political party in Thailand. It was founded on 21 June 1957 by Sukich Nimmanheminda. Behind the scenes, the party was forme ...

. After Field Marshal Sarit conducted a coup against the Government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibulsongkram on 16 September 1957, he was appointed as a guardian of the military department and appointed

Pote Sarasin Pote Sarasin ( th, พจน์ สารสิน, , ; 25 March 1905 – 28 September 2000) was the 9th Prime Minister of Thailand from the influential Sarasin family. He served as foreign minister from 1949 to 1950 and then served as ambassa ...

as Prime Minister and held a new election on Sunday 15 December 1957. In this election, the Seri Manangkhasila Party won only 4 seats out of the 160 which were directly elected. Soon, the Seri Manangkhasila Party was dissolved and merged with the National Socialist Party, which had Field Marshal Sarit as the party leader, along with the Sahaphum Party on 21 December 1957.

References

{{Thai political parties Defunct political parties in Thailand Political parties established in 1955 Political parties disestablished in 1957 1955 establishments in Thailand