| Pridi Banomyong was one of the prominent | | | | democratic and anti-Japanese Pridi. Pridi lost his |
| leaders in the 1932 coup that changed Thailand to | | | | ministerial post and was sidelined as Regent to |
| a constitutional monarchy. A brilliant and | | | | King Ananda Mahidol. |
| charismatic leader, Pridi laid the foundations for | | | | When Thailand declared war on USA and Britain, |
| modern constitutional government and is regarded | | | | Pridi headed the Seri Thai (Free Thai) resistance |
| as the father of Thai democracy. | | | | movement in Thailand and operated under the |
| He was born in Ayutthaya on 11 May 1900 of a | | | | code name "Ruth". |
| Chinese father who was a rice merchant. A | | | | When it was apparent that Japan was going to |
| brilliant student at an early age, he completed his | | | | lose the war, the assembly dumped the |
| secondary education at 14 and graduated from | | | | pro-Japanese Phibun and appointed Khuang |
| law school at 19. | | | | Apaiwong as Prime Minister. |
| The Early Years | | | | With Phibun gone, Pridi Banomyong as Regent |
| Awarded a scholarship to study in France, Pridi | | | | nullified Thailand's declaration of war on the Allies |
| completed his Masters and Doctorate in Law at | | | | and repudiated all previous agreements made with |
| the University of Paris at the age of 27. | | | | Japan. These shrewd moves pacified the |
| In the 1920s the spirit of revolution was in the air. | | | | Americans and saved Thailand from the severe |
| There was heightened political awareness among | | | | war reparations that Britain intended to impose. |
| Thai students studying abroad, stimulated by the | | | | With the return of King Ananda to Thailand in |
| political and social climate of the day. It was the | | | | 1945, Pridi resigned as Regent and was named |
| radical politics in France that sowed the seeds of | | | | Senior Statesman. He continued to play an |
| socialism and democracy in Pridi Banomyong's | | | | influential role in government. |
| mind. | | | | Pridi Banomyong became Prime Minister in March |
| Here he met Major Plaek Kittasangkha, later to be | | | | 1946, passed a new constitution for a bicameral |
| known by his title Luang Phibun Songkhram, on | | | | parliament and laws to protect labor rights. |
| advanced military training in France. Together with | | | | The end of a career |
| others, they plotted to change the absolute | | | | The death of King Ananda Mahidol on 9 June 1946 |
| monarchy to a constitutional one. | | | | sounded the death knell for Pridi's political career. |
| Both these two men were to have a great | | | | He resigned as Prime Minister five months later. |
| impact on Thai politics in the years to come. Both | | | | What was even more damaging; he was accused |
| were to become Prime Ministers and also bitter | | | | of regicide by the royalists. |
| adversaries later in life. | | | | In November 1947 Phibun struck with a coup. Pridi |
| The six point political plan formulated by Pridi and | | | | narrowly evaded arrest with the help of his British |
| his People's Party consisted of national | | | | and US contacts and went into exile again. |
| independence, national security, economic planning, | | | | Arrests of his supporters followed. |
| equality, liberty and universal education. | | | | Pridi supported by Marines and Navy countered in |
| The 1932 Coup | | | | February 1949 with a coup against Phibun. Fierce |
| At dawn on 24 June 1932, the small group led by | | | | fighting ensued for three days. Pridi lost badly, his |
| Pridi Banomyong and Phibun Songkhram launched | | | | reputation tarnished further by the violence. In the |
| a lightning coup. The conservative military under | | | | aftermath his men were ruthlessly purged. |
| Phibun and the radical People's Party led by Pridi | | | | By now, the political winds have shifted. The West |
| Banomyong, made strange bedfellows. But the | | | | found it more expedient to support military |
| alliance held until the outbreak of World War II. | | | | dictators like Phibun for their Cold War operations. |
| From 1932 - 1949, Pridi Banomyong was Minister | | | | Pridi had become an embarrassment. |
| of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Regent, Seri | | | | Into Exile |
| Thai (Free Thai) resistance leader, Senior | | | | Pridi Banomyong went into exile for the last time |
| Statesman and Prime Minister. He saw five Prime | | | | - this time to China. He would never see his |
| Ministers, a World War, five coups and went into | | | | homeland again. His acceptance by China gave his |
| exile three times. | | | | detractors more grounds to brand him a |
| The Reform Years 1933 -1941 | | | | Communist. |
| Pridi Banomyong wrote the first constitution for | | | | His wife Thanpuying Poonsuk was arrested in |
| Thailand. This was followed by the Elections Act | | | | November 1952 on charges of subversion. She |
| 1932 providing for national elections and universal | | | | was held in custody till February 1953. On her |
| suffrage, a major step forward. | | | | release she joined Pridi in exile with the rest of |
| As Minister of Interior (Mar 1933 - Aug 1937) he | | | | their children less his son who was also jailed. |
| enacted laws for municipal government and an | | | | In May 1970 Pridi moved to Paris, where he died |
| administrative court outside political control. | | | | on 2 May 1983 after 34 years in exile. Only his |
| In 1934, Pridi proposed an economic plan for the | | | | ashes were brought home to Thailand to be |
| nationalization of assets and the conversion of all | | | | scattered in the Gulf of Thailand. |
| workers to state employees. His plan was | | | | Thanpuying Poonsuk returned to Thailand in 1986. |
| rejected outright, he was denounced as a | | | | In an interview in 2000, she remarked with some |
| Communist and had to leave country temporarily. | | | | bitterness, "All Thailand ever gave us was a place |
| This was a sign of worse to come. | | | | to be born." |
| His rejection of King Rama VII's proposed | | | | That would have been a very sad and tragic |
| amendments to the constitution and the | | | | epitaph for a man who played such a pivotal role |
| government's treatment of the royal family after | | | | in his country's political and social development. |
| the 1932 coup caused deep offence to the | | | | How is Pridi Banonyong remembered in Thailand |
| royalists. This and the Communist stigma were to | | | | today? |
| hound him for the rest of his political career and | | | | He was a profound political and economic thinker, |
| life. | | | | providing the vision, the legal framework and |
| The People's Party increased investment in | | | | political structure for constitutional government, |
| education and instituted compulsory education. In | | | | the basis of which remains to this day. |
| 1934 Pridi founded the University of Moral and | | | | It was in education that Pridi left his lasting legacy. |
| Political Sciences, later called Thammasat | | | | Thammasat University is a premier tertiary |
| University and became the first Rector. | | | | institution in Thailand today. Thammasat |
| As Minister of Foreign Affairs (Aug 1937 - Sept | | | | remembers Pridi. |
| 1938) Pridi Banomyong repudiated and | | | | Sois 1 - 50 off Sukhumvit Soi 71 are named after |
| renegotiated all the unequal treaties imposed on | | | | Pridi Banomyong. How many people living in the |
| Thailand by the European powers. These treaties | | | | area know or remember the man after whom |
| covered extraterritorial rights and a limitation on | | | | the sois were named? |
| import duties on foreign goods to Thailand by | | | | The Pridi Banomyong Foundation and Pridi |
| these powers. | | | | Banomyong Institute in Sukhumvit Soi 55 |
| After the November 1938 elections Pridi was | | | | promote research in social studies, art, music and |
| Minister of Finance (Dec 1938 - Dec 1941) under | | | | culture. |
| the Phibun government. He revamped the entire | | | | In a belated tribute in 2000, the centenary of Pridi |
| taxation system. Unfair taxes like the head tax, | | | | Banomyong's birth, UNESCO named Pridi as one |
| paddy field tax were abolished and a proper | | | | of the world great personalities of the century. In |
| taxation system based on earnings and | | | | that year, articles appeared in the English dailies in |
| consumption was established. | | | | Thailand vindicating Pridi and recognising his |
| A national budget system was introduced. He | | | | contribution to Thai politics and society. |
| nationalized the foreign tobacco industry which | | | | The symbolism of the Democracy Monument in |
| served as a valuable source of government | | | | Ratchadamnoen Avenue aptly commemorates |
| revenue. | | | | the change to constitutional government in 1932. |
| World War II and the post-war years | | | | The first Thai constitution written by Pridi |
| As World War II approached, the militaristic and | | | | Banomyong is enshrined in the pedestal within. |
| pro-Fascist Phibun broke ranks with the | | | | |