Siamese revolution of 1932

Siamese revolution of 1932

The Siamese revolution of 1932 was an important event that changed how Siam was governed. On 24 June 1932, a group called the Khana Ratsadon took control in a peaceful way. This ended the long rule of the king as the only leader and brought an end to what is called an absolute monarchy, where one person has all the power.

After this, Siam became a constitutional monarchy, meaning the king would share power with others. The country also began to use democracy, where people have a say in decisions. A first constitution was created, and a new group called the National Assembly started to help make laws.

The revolution happened because many people were unhappy with the government, especially during a tough economic time. New leaders who had studied in Western countries wanted more say in how things were run. Even though the king, Prajadhipok, stayed on the throne, he had to agree to share power with the new leaders.

Background

Absolute monarchy

Since 1782, the Kingdom of Siam was ruled by the Chakri dynasty. After 1868, King Chulalongkorn helped make the country stronger and better organized. He made sure the king and noble families played big roles in how Siam was governed.

Mismanagement of Rama VI

During the time of King Rama VI, the kingdom had money problems. The king spent a lot on his court and did not stop some bad habits of people close to him. By 1920, money problems and a worldwide economic drop caused serious trouble. In 1925, some important princes asked to cut spending, especially for the royal family. This showed how bad the money problems were.

Rise of the Western-educated "commoner" elites

In the time of King Rama V, many people in Siam began to study in Europe. Even though most of these students were from noble or wealthy families, some commoners also had these chances. These students learned about new ideas like democracy and nationalism. People like Phibun Songkram, Pridi Banomyong, and Prayoon Pamornmontri later became important leaders.

Prelude

The "Promoters"

Main article: Khana Ratsadon

In 1927, seven students met in Paris, France, to talk about changing Siam. They wanted to make things better and planned carefully. Two of them were Plaek Khittasangkha, a soldier, and Pridi Banomyong, a law student. They called themselves the "Promoters" and wanted to go home to help their country. They knew most people were not ready for big changes, so they thought they needed help from the army. They formed a group called the Khana Ratsadon.

When the Promoters came back to Siam, they grew their group by talking to friends. Pridi taught law and got about fifty others to join. Plaek and others talked to soldiers and sailors for support. By late 1931, the group had 102 members.

Four Musketeers

Prayoon Pamornmontri, one of the Promoters, tried to get important officers to join. He got Colonel Phraya Phahol Pholpayuhasena and Colonel Phraya Songsuradet to join. These four officers became leaders and were called the "Four Musketeers." They helped make plans for the group.

Modernized attempt of Rama VII

Prince Prajadhipok became king and faced many problems. His brother had left the country with money issues, and many princes lived richly. Prajadhipok tried to save money and help his people, but many princes still had power.

Discontent from the economic crisis

In 1930, a big economic problem hit Siam. King Prajadhipok suggested new taxes to help the poor, but the princes said no and cut budgets instead. This made many officers unhappy. One prince, Boworadej, even left his job as Minister of Defence because of these problems.

Constitution denied by Rama VII

The King worked on a constitution with help from others, but the princes said no. In April 1932, the King left Bangkok for the summer. During this time, plans for change kept going in secret.

Plan leak

Word of the plan to change the government reached the police. On the night of June 23, 1932, a navy officer took control of a ship and pointed its guns at a prince’s palace. Other group members took over important buildings in Bangkok, cutting off communications. The princes were watched and guarded by members of the group.

Coup

Bangkok seizure

On 24 June 1932, while King Prajadhipok was away, a group called the Khana Ratsadon started a plan to change the government. Leaders like Phraya Phahon and Phraya Songsuradet gathered supporters near important buildings. They tricked guards at a military base into letting them in by saying there was trouble in the city. Once inside, they took control of vehicles and troops.

The group arrived at a main square, and Phraya Phahon announced an end to the old way of ruling Siam. Many people watched, unsure what was happening. The group took many important people into custody peacefully. Only one person tried to fight back but was quickly stopped. By morning, the leaders were in control.

Khana Ratsadon manifesto

The leaders shared their ideas through papers and radio. They explained why they thought change was needed. They said the old rulers did not listen to the people and made unfair decisions. They wanted a new system where leaders would be chosen by the people.

Royalty reaction

Before hearing from the leaders, King Prajadhipok was playing golf when he learned about the events in Bangkok. He decided to agree to the new way of ruling without fighting. He returned to Bangkok and met with the leaders, showing respect by standing when they entered the room. This helped calm tensions. The King signed a document forgiving the leaders for their actions. Some royal family members left the country, while others stayed but lived away from politics.

First constitution of Thailand

Right after the change, the leaders and the King created Siam's first constitution. This document said that power belonged to the people, not just the king. It removed many of the king's old powers. The new system would start with leaders chosen by a small group, then slowly include more people over time. The first meeting of this new group happened just days later, starting a new chapter for Siam. Later that year, the constitution was updated to give back some powers to the monarchy and prepare for elections.

Aftermath

After the change in leadership in 1932, Siam became a place where only one group could make decisions. New groups like the "People's Assembly" were created, and a new leader was chosen. But soon, arguments happened inside the government. This led to another takeover in 1933 by one of the leaders.

Later in 1932, the king decided to return to Bangkok. In 1933, some people who supported the old ways tried to take back control, led by Prince Boworadet. This attempt did not succeed. The king's actions made people lose trust in him. Three years after the big change, the king left his position and left Siam forever. He was replaced by his young nephew, who was studying in Switzerland at the time.

Legacy

Main article: Khana Ratsadon § Legacy

People have thought about the events of 1932 in different ways over time. In the 1960s, the government began to focus more on the role of the monarchy. Schools taught less about what happened in 1932. Instead of celebrating June 24, people started to celebrate the birthday of King Bhumibol on December 5.

In 2024, a Thai animated film called 2475 Dawn of Revolution told the story of these events. Some people liked the film, while others did not.