The Tai ethnic group migrated into mainland Southeast Asia over a period of centuries. The word Siam may have originated from Pali or Sanskrit श्याम or Mon ရာမည, probably the same root as Shan and Ahom. Xianluo was the Chinese name for Ayutthaya Kingdom, merged from Suphannaphum city state centered in modern-day Suphan Buri and Lavo city state centered in modern-day Lop Buri. To the Thai, the name has mostly been Mueang Thai.
Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat was a Thai general who staged a coup in 1957, replacing Plaek Phibunsongkhram as Thailand's prime minister until Sarit died in 1963. He was born in Bangkok, but grew up in his mother's home town in Isan-speaking northeastern Thailand and considered himself from Isan. His father, Major Luang Ruangdetanan, was a career army officer best known for his translations into Thai of Cambodian literature. He had partial Chinese ancestry.
Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, locally known as Marshal P., and contemporarily known as Phibun (Pibul) in the West, was a Thai military officer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.
Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn was the leader of Thailand from 1963 to 1973, during which he staged a self-coup, until public protests which exploded into violence forced him to step down. His return from exile in 1976 sparked protests which led to a massacre of demonstrators, followed by a military coup.
The Democracy Monument is a public monument in the city center of Bangkok, capital of Thailand. It occupies a traffic circle on the wide east–west Ratchadamnoen Avenue, at the intersection of Dinso Road. The monument is roughly halfway between Sanam Luang, the former royal cremation ground in front of Wat Phra Kaew, and the temple of the Golden Mount.
The history of Thailand from 1932 to 1973 was dominated by military dictatorships which were in power for much of the period. The main personalities of the period were the dictator Luang Phibunsongkhram, who allied the country with Japan during the Second World War, and the civilian politician Pridi Phanomyong, who founded Thammasat University and was briefly prime minister after the war.
Chatichai Choonhavan was a Thai army officer, diplomat and politician. From 1986 to 1991, he was the chairman of the Thai Nation Party and served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from August 1988 until the coup d'état of February 1991.
Khuang Aphaiwong, also known by his noble title Luang Kowit-aphaiwong, was three times the prime minister of Thailand: from August 1944 to 1945, from January to May 1946, and from November 1947 to April 1948.
Police General Phao Siyanon was a director general of Thailand's national police who was notorious for his excesses against political opponents. He eventually fled the country and died in exile.
Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena, born as Phot Phahonyothin, was a Thai military leader and politician. He became the second prime minister of Siam in 1933 after ousting his predecessor in a coup d'état. He retired in 1938 after serving five years as prime minister.
Rambai Barni, formerly Rambai Barni Svastivatana, was the wife and queen consort of King Prajadhipok of Siam.
The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand provides the basis for the rule of law in Thailand. Since the abolition of the absolute monarchy in 1932, Thailand has had 20 charters or constitutions, an average of one roughly every four years. Many changes followed military coups, reflecting the high degree of political instability in the country. After each successful coup, military regimes abrogated the existing constitution, generally without public consultation.
The Army General Staff plot was a failed 1948 attempt to overthrow the Thai government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram.
The National Military Council was the group of military officers that planned and carried out a coup d'état in November 1947 in Thailand. Their prestige and influence were quickly enhanced by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram's return to politics. They would however outlast him and dominate Thai politics for the next two decades. Most would eventually receive high ranks, becoming generals and field marshals.
The Boworadet rebellion was a 1933 Thai rebellion led by royalist Prince Boworadet, as a result of the conflicts between the previous royalist regime and the succeeding constitutional regime led by Khana Ratsadon, following the Revolution of 1932. The Boworadet rebellion was eventually defeated by the Siamese Government.
The Songsuradet rebellion also known as the Rebellion of 18 corpses was the claimed pretext for a political purge on 29 January 1939 by the government of Thai Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram (Phibun) against his political enemies and rivals, which named Phraya Songsuradet as the alleged leader of a plot against Phibun.
The coup d'état of 8 November 1947 was a military coup d'état that took place in Thailand on the evening of 8 November 1947, ending in the early morning hours of 9 November. The coup ousted the government of Pridi Banomyong front man, Luang Thamrong, who was replaced by Khuang Aphaiwong, royalist supporter, as Prime Minister of Thailand. The coup was led by military supreme leader, Phibun, and Phin Choonhavan and Kat Katsongkhram, allied with the royalists to regain their political power and Crown Property back from the reforms of the Siamese revolution of 1932. The influence of the People Party ended as Pridi left the country on exile.
The Manhattan Rebellion was a failed coup attempt by officers of the Royal Thai Navy against the government of Prime Minister Plaek Pibulsonggram (Phibun) on 29–30 June 1951. They took the prime minister hostage during a handover ceremony for the US dredge Manhattan and brought him aboard the Navy's flagship HTMS Sri Ayudhya. However, they were met by the combined forces of the Royal Thai Army, Air Force and Police. Heavy fighting ensued, and Sri Ayudhya was sunk despite Phibun's presence on board; the prime minister had to swim ashore along with the ship's crew. The event led to the Navy being stripped of most of its power and influence. It also showed that political power actually lay with commanders of the Armed Forces rather than the prime minister.
National Socialist Party was a short-lived pro-military political party in Thailand. It was founded on 21 December 1957 by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat.
The 1948 Thai coup d'état was a military coup on 6 April by the 1947 coup group. Khuang Aphaiwong, royalist allied, was forced to resign from prime minister, and was replaced by Phibun, the junta leader.
Government of Thailand