Unit 4

Historical developments in Thailand

during democracy period
Historical developments in Thailand during democracy period
•Factors affecting stability and prosperity.
•Historical development.
•Role of Thailand in democracy era toward world
society.
•Examples of important events affecting the historical
development
•Role of the King in the Chakri Dynasty on the stability
and prosperity of the Thailand.
Royal duties of the King toward people and the nation

Both in terms of the well-being of the people and being the center of th
mind, the country is able to maintain its stability and safety.
Having a national economic and social development plan
Making the country's economic and social development
systematically resulting in the expansion of education, public health,
transport, and others.
International Relationship
For the benefit of the nation as a priority, by always trying to adjust to
comply with the changing situation
Having natural resources both by land and sea
Including forests, minerals, natural gas, aquatic life, and
also the geography that is suitable for cultivating rice for living
throughout the country.
• Government politics under the guidance of the People's
Party.
• Government politics under the coups.
• Government politics under the request for democracy.
Government politics under the guidance of the People's Party
This resulted in the transition from an absolute monarchy to a
democracy monarchy with the King as the Head of State under the
constitution which is the highest law to rule the country on 24 June
B.E.2475.
 The People’s Party or Khana Ratsadon

Military leader: Phraya

Major
Pridi Phanomyong, Phahonphonphayuhasena Phibulsonggram,
leader of civilians leader of junior Army
Officers
 Rue Du
Sommerard in
Paris was the
establishment
place for Khana
Ratsadon
on 5 February
B.E. 2469
1.Khana Ratsadon (army faction)
2.Khana Ratsadon (navy faction)
The party eventually divided into two factions.
Pridi Bhanomyong, the leader of civilian faction
(พลเรื อน), and Marshal Pibulsongkram, head of
military faction (ฝ่ ายทหาร).
They would dominate Thai politics for the next
two decades (until 2490), producing six prime
ministers of Thailand. The party declined at about
the time the World War II ended.
The cause of Political Reform B.E. 2475

Causes of the reform:

1. The influence of Western ideologies on
democracy by western educated.
2. The economic problems.
3. Influenced by changes in the
government of different countries in
Asia such as Japan, Turkey and China.
 1. To maintain the supreme power in terms of political,
judicial, and economic of the country to be stable.
6 2. To maintain security in the country, reduce the violation.
principles 3. To maintain happiness of people in term of economic in
of accordance to the National Economic Project.

People’s 4. To protect the equality of the Thai people

Party 5. To maintain the people's rights and liberties without

contradicting the above 4 principles.
6.To provide public education for all citizens
The Temporary constitution (พระราชบัญญัติ
ธ ร ร ม นู ญ ก า ร ป ก ค ร อ ง แ ผ่ น ดิ น ส ย า ม ชั่ ว ค ร า ว
พุทธศักราช 2475) was signed on 27 June 2475
(1932), it was a draft document written by Pridi in
advance. The constitution began by announcing that:
"the sovereign power (highest power in the land)
belongs to all people.”
the government scheduled Siam's first election in
October 2476 (1933).
Divide the sovereignty into 3 parties

1. Legislative power
2. Executive power
3. Judicial power
- 27 June 2475, first
meeting of the House of
Representatives.

- Chose Phraya
Manopakorn Nititada as
the first Prime Minister
of Siam.
• April 1, 2476 – conflict
over the Yellow Book.

• June 20, 2476 – coup

d’etat by Phraya Phahol
Pholphayuhasena.
October 10, 2476, the Boworadet Rebellion staged by
royalist factions. (ฝ่ ายราชวงศ์ )

Prince Boworadet Luang Phibulsongkram

- January 12, 2476 :
King Rama VII and the
Queen Ramphapanni
visited England for
medical treatment.
March 2, 2477: King
Prajadhipok abdicated
the throne and left Siam
never to return.
 Reasons
King Rama VII wanted the government
give free speech to people, writing,
advertising and open-meeting.
However, the government did not
follow his requirements.
 King Prajadhipok issued a brief statement criticizing the regime that
included the following phrases, since often quoted by critics of
Thailand's slow political development.

I am willing to surrender the powers I formerly exercised to the

people as a whole, but I am not willing to turn them over to any
individual or any group to use in an autocratic manner without
heeding the voice of the people.
 B.E. 2481-2487

Colonel Pibulsogkram as a prime minister

use nationalism to rebuild the nation until
declared war to Indo-China war of France.

Joined WWII with Japan to declared war

with USA and England.

It was the beginning of Seri Thai movement.

 B.E. 2481-2487

 King Rama VIII died on 9 June, B.E.2489.

 Mr.Pridi Panomyong resigned.

 Economic downturn after WWII.

 The government of Admiral Thawan

Thamrongnawasawat could not find out why
the reason of King Rama VIII’s death.

 Coup by Lieutenant General Pin

Choonhawan.
What is coup d'état?
 What is self-coup d'état?

 The government that came from the coup was on

the verge of losing power but they wanted to
continue to have power. Thus, there was a coup
to keep its people in power.

 29 November, B.E.2494, self-coup by Field

Marshal Pibulsongkram
 17 November, B.E.2514 , self-coup by Field
Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn.
 How many coup d'état in
Thailand?

Since the government change in 1932,

Thailand has had 13 coups.

There are also several other coup attempts

that failed to be called a rebellion, for
example the 1933 Bowondech Rebellion or
the Manhattan Rebellion of 1951. etc.
Government politics under the coups.
Government politics under the request for democracy.
The event of October 14 B.E.2516. Day of Great Sorrow.
Occurred after Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn used military force to
seize power. Causing a current of reluctance which led to the events of 14
October. It ended when Field Marshal Thanom, Field Marshal Prapas and
Colonel Narong left the country.
The uprising resulted in the end of the ruling military dictatorship of anti-communist
Thanom Kittikachorn and altered the Thai political system. Notably, it highlighted the
growing influence of Thai university students in politics.
The event of October 6 B.E.2519. Thammasat University
massacre.
Occurred after Chom Phon Thanom Kittikachorn came back
to Thailand again. This caused student protests and the dissolution
of the protests.
Black May B.E. 2535
17–20, May 1992, there was demonstrations protesting General
Suchinda Kraprayoon's tenure as Prime Minister, the government
violently suppressed (ถูกปราบปราม) the demonstrators, and the event
ended when General Suchinda resigned as prime minister.
Capitalist Economy

In Field Marshal Pibulsongkram government has operated a capitalist

economic policy and has emphasized on people supporting the work of the Thai
people using the products produced in Thailand.

Posters campaigning for people to take up the

agricultural profession
Capitalist Economy

1. Control industrial sector.

2. Government has many sugar factories.
3. The state-owned enterprise has partnerships in rice mills,
sawmills and textile mills.
4. Chinese merchants owned small and medium size of firms
and international enterprises.
5. Most of fund came from Chinese and American
merchants both in production sector, industrial sector and
banking.
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

The government announced the first National Economic Development Plan in

1957. 1961. Its main objective is to raise the standard of living of the people, with
every five years a series of plans are announced until now.
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

1. Emphasize on foreign investors by reducing

import tax and export tax.
2. The government built more roads, dams, and
electricity system and also plumbing to use in
industrial and agricultural sectors.
3. Most foreign investors came from USA, Japan
and Taiwan.
4. Government mostly focused on industrial
sector.
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

1. Inflation.
2. Oil price increased.
3. Expensive price of consumption products.
4. Delaying in investment of business.
5. Expand the investment to the rural areas.
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

1. New supporting of investment law.

2. The economy suffered a severe trade deficit.
3. Unemployment
4. Rising oil price
5. Government banned import products and
increased import tax.
6. Expediting exports and promoting domestic
investment.
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

1. The devaluation of the Thai baht.

2. Change battle field to commerce field.
3. There were more investors from Taiwan,
Hongkong and Singapore and South Korea.
4. The business of trading land for speculation
became a prosperous business.
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

1. Coup d'état in BE.2534.

2. Delay of investment.
3. Allowing the industry sector to have free
competition in 30 types of industry.
4. Control oil price.
5. Cooperate with Indonesia and Malaysia on the
use of natural resource and human resource.
6. Create more jobs and increased more income
for people.
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

1. Tom Yum Kung Crisis in B.E.2539-2540.

2. 58 capital investment businesses closed.
3. Declared on floating exchange rate system
4. Need help from IMF
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

1. SMEs
2. Suspension of debt for small farmers.
3. Increase international reserves.
4. Village Fund.
Thai economy under the National Economic and Social Development Plan

1. Sufficiency Economic.
2. Populist economic. (giving money to people and
free of charge in many things.)
3. Increase international reserves.
4. Village Fund.
Social Characteristic in Democracy period

Variety of
People Value
occupation

More urban Progress on

society technology

More social
problems