Khana Ratsadon


The People's Party, known in Thai as Khana Ratsadon, was a Siamese group of military and civil officers, and later a political party, which staged a [1932 Thailand|Siamese coup d'état|bloodless revolution] against King Prajadhipok's government and transformed the country's absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy on 24 June 1932.

Background

The Promoters

In 1927, the Kingdom of Siam, the Rattanakosin Kingdom, was under the absolutist rule of the Chakri dynasty, under King Prajadhipok. 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:

Six principles

The revolutionaries made Pridi Panomyong their president and termed themselves the "promoters". The party determined a sixfold objective which was later called the "Six Principles", as follows:
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 Pridi Banomyong; the navy, led by Luang Sinthusongkhramchai; the junior army officers, led by Major Phibulsonggram; and finally the senior officers, led by Colonel Phot Phahonyothin.

Other policies

In power, the People's Party 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 People's Party 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 Bhanomyong, 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 People's Party 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., 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.
Public perception and discourse over the People's Party's legacy has also fluctuated over time. Their role in establishing a constitutional monarchy was glossed over by school textbooks, and rhetoric dismissing the party's actions as premature was popularized. Such ideas were reignited in the 2010s, as ideological conflicts over democracy and the monarchy intensified. Conservative writers demonized the People's Party as republicans. This led to a reactionary response by liberal groups. During the 2020 protests, youth protesters symbolically installed a new plaque in Sanam Luang, and a group leading the protest movement called themselves "Khana Ratsadon 2563".

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

Army faction

  1. Colonel Phahonphonphayuhasena, the Head of the military faction and leader of Khana Ratsadon
  2. Phraya Songsuradet
  3. Phraya Ritthiakhaney
  4. Phra Phrasasphithayayut
  5. Major Luang Phibulsonggram
  6. Captain Luang Chamnanyutthasin
  7. Captain Luang Katsongkhram
  8. Captain Luang Kriangsakphichit
  9. Captain Luang Chansongkhram
  10. Captain Luang Chawengsaksongkhram
  11. Captain Luang Thatsanainiyomsuek
  12. Captain Luang Phromyothi
  13. Captain Luang Ronnasitthiphichai
  14. Captain Luang Sawatronnarong
  15. Captain Luang Seriroengrit
  16. Captain Luang Aduldejcharat
  17. Lieutenant Khun Sucharitronnakan
  18. Lieutenant Khun Chamnongphummiwet
  19. Lieutenant Khun Nirandonchai
  20. Lieutenant Khun Phiphatsorakan
  21. Lieutenant Khun Plotporapak
  22. Lieutenant Khun Rueangwirayut
  23. Lieutenant Khun Wimonsorakit
  24. Lieutenant Khun Sisarakon
  25. Lieutenant Chai Prathipasen
  26. Lieutenant Thuan Wichaikhatthakha
  27. Lieutenant Nom Ketunuti
  28. Minor Lieutenant Charun Chittralak
  29. Minor Lieutenant Saman Thephatsadin Na Ayutthaya
  30. Minor Lieutenant Udom Phutthikasetarin
  31. Major Luang Wichakkonlayut

Navy faction

  1. Group Commander Luang Sinthusongkhramchai
  2. Lieutenant Commander Luang Supachalasai
  3. Senior Lieutenant Luang Thamrongnawasawat
  4. Senior Lieutenant Luang Sangworayutthakit
  5. Senior Lieutenant Luang Nithetkonlakit
  6. Senior Lieutenant Luang Nawawichit
  7. Senior Lieutenant Sa-nguan Ruchirapha
  8. Senior Lieutenant Sa-ngop Charunphon
  9. Senior Lieutenant Chalit Kunkamthon
  10. Junior Lieutenant Thonglo Khamhiran
  11. Junior Lieutenant Chip Siriphaibun
  12. Junior Lieutenant Prasoet Suksamai
  13. Junior Lieutenant Wan Ruyuphon
  14. Ensign Chan Ratsamithat
  15. Ensign Thongdi Ra-ngapphai
  16. Chamrat Suwannachip

Civil faction

  1. Luang Praditmanutham (Pridi Phanomyong), the head of the civil faction and vice leader of Khana Ratsadon
  2. Luang Sirirajmaitree
  3. Luang Kowit-aphaiwong (Khuang Aphaiwong)
  4. Luang Naruebetmanit
  5. Luang Chamnanitikaset
  6. Luang Atthasanraprasit
  7. Luang Atthakitikamchon
  8. Luang Sunthonthephatsadin
  9. Luang Dechatiwongwarawat
  10. Tua Laphanukrom
  11. Prachuap Bunnak
  12. M.L. Udom Sanitwong
  13. Naep Phahonlayothin
  14. Thawi Bunyaket
  15. Junior Lieutenant Prayoon Pamornmontri
  16. Wilat Osathanon
  17. Charun Suepsaeng
  18. Leng Sisonwong
  19. Direk Jayanama
  20. Wichian Suwannathat
  21. Chun Pinthanon
  22. Sawat Sotthithat
  23. Chittasen Pancha
  24. Yong Phonlabun
  25. Ek Supphapodok
  26. Surin Chinothai
  27. Siri Chatinan
  28. Chaliao Pathummarot
  29. Banchong Sicharun
  30. Prasoet Sicharun
  31. Chaeng Muttafa
  32. Karim Sicharun
  33. Sanguan Tularak
  34. Sim Wirawaithaya
  35. Nguan Thongprasoet
  36. Pramot Phuengsunthon
  37. Charoen Pantharo
  38. Thongpleo Chonlaphum
  39. Phadoem Angsuwat
  40. Chup Salayachiwin
  41. Klin Thephatsadin Na Ayutthaya
  42. Son Bunchung
  43. Yon Samananon
  44. Yin Samananon
  45. Police Lieutenant Choei Kalanchai
  46. Police Lieutenant Thiang Chaloemsak