Khana Ratsadon

Background

The Promoters

In 1927, the Kingdom of Siam, the Rattanakosin Kingdom, was under the absolutist rule of the Chakri dynasty, under King Prajadhipok (Rama VII). Under his reign, the nation experienced troubles stemming from an archaic government confronted with serious economic problems and threats from abroad, the British and French Empires. The country was also experiencing a dramatic social change as the urban and middle classes of Bangkok started growing, slowly demanding more rights from their government, criticizing it as ineffective. These changes were mostly led by men, civilians and the military, who had graduated or travelled abroad. They wanted to transform Siam into a modern country like a Western democracy.

In February 1927, a group of seven Siamese students, later known as the "promoters", met at a hotel on the Rue Du Sommerard in Paris and founded what would become the Khana Ratsadon. For five days, they met and proposed arguments for and against various aspects of the movement, the men were:

1. Lieutenant Prayoon Pamornmontri (Thai: ประยูร ภมรมนตรี), Army officer, formerly of King Vajiravudh's Royal Guards

2. Lieutenant Plaek Khittasangkha (Thai: แปลก ขีตตะสังคะ), later Luang Phibulsonggram, Army officer, student, School of Applied Artillery, France

3. Lieutenant Thatsanai Mitphakdi (Thai: ทัศนัย มิตรภักดี), Army officer, student, French Cavalry Academy

4. Tua Lophanukrom (Thai: ตั้ว ลพานุกรม), scientist studying in Switzerland

5. Luang Siriratchamaitri (Thai: หลวงสิริราชไมตรี), diplomat, officer at the Siamese Embassy in Paris

6. Naep Phahonyothin (Thai: แนบ พหลโยธิน), law student studying in England

7. Pridi Banomyong (Thai: ปรีดี พนมยงค์), law student studying at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris

Six principles

The revolutionaries made Pridi Panomyong their president and termed themselves the "promoters" (Thai: ผู้ก่อการ; RTGS: Phu Ko Kan). The party determined a sixfold objective which was later called the "Six Principles" (Thai: หลักหกประการ; RTGS: Lak Hok Prakan), as follows:

1. To maintain the supreme power of the Thai people.

2. To maintain national security.

3. To maintain the economic welfare of the Thai people in accordance with the National Economic Project.

4. To protect the equality of the Thai people.

5. To maintain the people's rights and liberties, insofar as they are not inconsistent with any of the above-mentioned principles.

6. To provide public education for all citizens.

To achieve these goals, the party determined that they must overthrow, using force if necessary, the present government and the system of absolute monarchy and turn the Asian kingdom into a modern constitutional monarchy. Most of the members were students educated abroad, mostly in the United Kingdom and France.

When the group returned to Siam, they enlisted members from among the army and navy, the merchant class, civil servants and others. Their membership eventually reached 102, separated into four main branches. These included the civilians, led by Laung Praditmanutham; the navy, led by Group Commander Luang Sinthusongkhramchai; the junior army officers, led by Major Luang Phibulsonggram; and finally the senior officers, led by Colonel Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena.

Other policies

In power, the Khana Ratsadon intensified assimilationist policies towards the Chinese community in Siam. From 1938 to 1939, it passed a series of laws to eliminate the economic influence of Chinese people, including prohibiting Chinese from certain professions, dealing in certain goods, and living in specified residential areas. The country's Nationality Law was amended in 1939 to require that all Chinese seeking to become citizens had to adopt Thai names, enroll their children in Thai schools, speak Thai, and renounce any allegiance to China.

Legacy

The Khana Ratsadon was eventually successful in their goal of revolution by bloodless coup. By 1933 they had turned Siam into a single party state. However the party itself was short-lived, due to infighting as the party had too many factions, conflicting interests, and political beliefs. The party eventually divided into two factions, a civilian faction led by Pridi Banomyong, and a military faction led by Marshal Pibulsongkram.

They would dominate Thai politics for the next two decades, producing six Prime Ministers of Thailand from their ranks. The People's Party declined at about the time the Second World War ended, and was dissolved in 1947.

In the decades after the Khana Ratsadon lost power, continuing as into the 21st century, subsequent governments have taken action to downplay their significance and erase their legacy. Part of this was accomplished through the removal of architecture associated with the party, most significantly beginning with the demolition of Sala Chaloem Thai in 1989. This movement intensified in the 2010s; the Supreme Court building was controversially demolished in 2013, and following the 2014 coup, multiple landmarks became quietly removed without explanation. On the 88th anniversary of the revolution in 2020, the Reuters news service identified six historical markers memorialising the People's Party and the events of 1932 which have been removed or renamed over the previous year. In most cases it is not known who is responsible. Some historians, such as Chatri Prakitnonthakan of Silpakorn University, interpreted these removals as an attempted "ideological cleansing" by the conservative establishment.

A memorial plaque honoring the 1932 Revolution was reported missing on 14 April 2017. It was thought to be stolen on 5 April and was replaced with another plaque with text praising the Chakri Dynasty. As of 2019, no one has taken responsibility for the theft. The 1932 Revolution brass plaque, about 30 centimeters across, was embedded in the asphalt of the Royal Plaza, less than 10 meters from the equestrian statue depicting King Rama V. The site is where the revolt took place on 24 June 1932. Here, a declaration condemning absolute monarchy was read. Press reports noted that ultraroyalist groups had threatened to remove the plaque in the months preceding its theft.

A Royal Thai Army artillery base in Lopburi Province bore the name of General Phraya Phahon until 2019 when, at the order of the current king, Vajiralongkorn, it was renamed King Bhumibol base. Long-standing statues of Phraya Phahon and Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram installed at the base were removed and replaced by a statue of King Bhumibol.

Members

The members of the People's Party were a mix of both military officers and civilians. Lieutenant Krachang Tularak was its last surviving member. He died on 24 June 2009 at the age of 98.

Military faction

Colonel Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena (Phot Phahonyothin), the Head of the military faction and leader of Khana Ratsadon

Colonel Phraya Songsuradet (Deva Bandhumasena)

Colonel Phraya Ritthiakhaney (Sala Emasiri)

Lieutenent Colonel Phra Phrasasphithayayut (Wan Choothin)

Major Luang Phibulsonggram (Plaek Khittasangkha)

Captain Luang Chamnanyutthasin (Choei Rayanan)

Captain Luang Katsongkhram (Thian Kengradomying)

Captain Luang Kriangsakphichit (Khuan Chittakhun)

Captain Luang Chansongkhram (Phan Chalichan)

Captain Luang Chawengsaksongkhram (Chuang Khwanchoet)

Captain Luang Thatsanainiyomsuek (Thatsanai Mittraphakdi)

Captain Luang Phromyothi (Mangkon Phonchiwin)

Captain Luang Ronnasitthiphichai (Chuea Kanchanaphinthu)

Captain Luang Sawatronnarong (Sawat Darasawat)

Captain Luang Seriroengrit (Charun Rattanakun)

Captain Luang Aduldejcharat (Bat Phuengphrakhun)

Lieutenant Khun Sucharitronnakan (Phong Nakhanut)

Civil faction

Luang Praditmanutham (Pridi Phanomyong), the head of the civil faction and vice leader of Khana Ratsadon

Luang Sirirajmaitree (Charun Singhaseni)

Luang Kowit-aphaiwong (Khuang Aphaiwong)

Luang Naruebetmanit (Sa-nguan Chuthatemi)

Luang Chamnanitikaset (Uthai Saengmani)

Luang Atthasanraprasit (Thongyen Lilamia)

Luang Atthakitikamchon (Klueng Phahomyonh)

Luang Sunthonthephatsadin (Saphrang Thephatsadin Na Ayutthaya)

Luang Dechatiwongwarawat (M.L. Kri Dechatiwong)

Tua Laphanukrom

Prachuap Bunnak

M.L. Udom Sanitwong

Naep Phahonlayothin

Thawi Bunyaket

Junior Lieutenant Prayoon Pamornmontri

Wilat Osathanon

Charun Suepsaeng

Leng Sisonwong

Direk Jayanama

Wichian Suwannathat

Chun Pinthanon

Sawat Sotthithat

Chittasen Pancha