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Plaek Phibunsongkhram

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Plaek Phibunsongkhram
แปลก พิบูลสงคราม
Phibunsongkhram c. 1940s
Prime Minister of Thailand
In office
8 April 1948 – 16 September 1957
MonarchBhumibol Adulyadej
Deputy
Preceded byKhuang Aphaiwong
Succeeded bySarit Thanarat (de facto)
In office
16 December 1938 – 1 August 1944
MonarchAnanda Mahidol
Deputy
Preceded byPhraya Phahonphonphayuhasena
Succeeded byKhuang Aphaiwong
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
In office
13 November 1940 – 24 November 1943
Succeeded bySarit Thanarat
Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army
In office
9 November 1947 – 15 May 1948
Preceded byAdun Adundetcharat
Succeeded byPhin Choonhavan
In office
4 January 1938 – 5 August 1944
Preceded byPhraya Phahonphonphayuhasena
Succeeded byPhichit Kriangsakphichit
Personal details
Born
Plaek

(1897-07-14)14 July 1897
Nonthaburi, Siam
Died11 June 1964(1964-06-11) (aged 66)
Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
Political partySeri Manangkhasila Party (1955–1957)
Other political
affiliations
People's Party (1927–1954)
Spouse(s)
(m. 1903)
Children6
Signature
Military service
Allegiance
Branch/service
Years of service1914–1957
Rank
CommandsSupreme Commander
Battles/wars

Plaek Phibunsongkhram (Thai: แปลก พิบูลสงคราม; other name were Marshal P. (Thai: จอมพล ป.) in Thailand and Phibun in the West; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964) was a Thai military officer and politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957. In 1941, he was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal.

As a young artillery officer, Phibun studied at French military academies. He joined the constitutionalist "People's Party" (Thai: คณะราษฎร) and gained military and political power after their takeover in the Siamese revolution of 1932. After suppressing a royalist coup attempt, he became Minister of Defense in 1934. In 1938, he was elected Prime Minister by the parliament.

Phibun ruled Thailand in an authoritarian manner, promoting aggressive nationalism and militarism. He aimed to culturally modernize Thailand, drawing inspiration from Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and Empire of Japan. Phibun aspired to create a "Greater Thai Empire" and demanded territorial concessions from the British and French colonial empires. Between 1940 and 1941, he led Thailand in a war against France and in 1942 allied with Japan in World War II. In July 1944, Phibun was forced to resign.

In 1947, the military, under Phibun, seized power again. In 1948, he became Prime Minister once more, ruling the country in an authoritarian manner but this time closely aligning with the United States. After initiating steps towards democratization in 1955, he was ousted by a rival military faction in 1957. Phibun went into exile in Japan, where he died.