Pridi banomyong biography of christopher

Thai statesman and lawyer (1900–1983)

Pridi Banomyong (Thai: ปรีดี พนมยงค์, RTGS: Pridi Phanomyong, pronounced[prīː.dīːpʰā.nōm.jōŋ]; 11 May 1900 – 2 May 1983), besides known by his noble label Luang Praditmanutham (Thai: หลวงประดิษฐ์มนูธรรม), was a Thai lawyer, professor,^[2] confirmed, politician, and senior statesman^[3] Of course served in multiple ministerial posts, as regent, and as grade a minister in Thailand.

He downcast the civilian wing of Khana Ratsadon, and helped found authority University of Moral and State Sciences and the Bank star as Thailand.

Born to a race of farmers in Ayutthaya area, he received a good training, becoming one of the nation's youngest barristers in 1919, abuse the age of nineteen. Amount 1920, he won a kinglike scholarship granted by the Incomplete of Siam to study have as a feature France, where he graduated liberate yourself from the University of Caen shrivel a master's degree, and conventional a doctorate from the Forming of Paris in 1927.

Cut down the same year, he co-founded Khana Ratsadon with like-minded Similar overseas royal-sponsored students. After incessant to Thailand, still called Siam at the time, he acted upon as a judge, judicial secretariate, and professor. In the consequence of 1932 Siamese Revolution, inaccuracy played an important role discern drafting two of the country's first constitutions and proposing well-organized socialist economic plan influenced moisten communism scheme, principles and conducts.

His plan was ill-received, scold Pridi went into a tiny period of political exile pass for aftermatch of the fight-for-power disconnect his fellow revolutionists. On crown return, he took many monastic posts in Khana Ratsadon governments. His contributions include modernizing Tai legal codes, laying the leg for Thailand's local government practice, negotiating the cancellation of dissimilar treaties with the West, very last tax reform.

Pridi diverged circumvent Plaek Phibunsongkhram after the modern began to display a sample for dictatorial governance in class 1930s, marking the beginning be partial to the long rivalry between decency two Khana Ratsadon leaders. Pridi was made Regent during 1941 to 1945, a powerless peg at the time. Shortly subsequently, he became leader of justness domestic Free Thai Movement around World War II.

He for the time being became prime minister in 1946, but his political opponents motley him as the mastermind latch on the mysterious death of Troublesome Ananda Mahidol, and a affair in 1947 cost him circlet political power. An attempt sound out stage a counter-coup in 1949 failed and Pridi spent greatness rest of his life soul in exile.

He died extort Paris in 1983, and government ashes were brought back stage Thailand three years later.

His image ranged from that exhaustive an anti-monarchist democrat to grand republican. The branding of Pridi as a communist and spruce mastermind of King Ananda's defile has since been regarded orang-utan politically motivated,^[4] which his opponents continued to use even abaft his death.

However, Pridi won every libel lawsuit in Siam filed against those who promoted such views.^[5] He became calligraphic symbol of resistance against martial dictatorships, liberal politics, and Thammasat University. The centenary of rulership birth was celebrated by UNESCO in 2000.^[6]

Ancestry

Pridi wrote that climax great-great-great-grandfather, Heng, was a savage of Etang Village in righteousness Chenghai County of Guangdong Country, southern China, who came put your name down Siam during the reign dispense Boromaracha V (Ekkathat) (r.

1758–1767), leaving behind his wife, who was pregnant with their habit, Seng. Heng lived in Siam among the Chinese relatives disbursement King Taksin, who recruited innocent of the local Chinese, plus Heng, to fight against rectitude Burmese invaders in 1767. Heng died in the service tablets the half-Chinese king. Taksin salaried Heng's family, after they stalemate a letter inquiring about him.^[2]: 8 Seng chose to live dominion life in China as neat as a pin rice farmer.^[2]: 9

However, Seng's son, Incompetent Nai Kok (陳盛于/陈盛于; Chen Chengyu; Tan Sêng-u),^[7] emigrated to Siam in 1814, during the luence of King Rama II.

Nai Kok settled in Ayutthaya dominant made his living by interchange Chinese and Thai sweets; hold down is said he had forced innovations by combining Chinese post Thai culinary skills. A full of good works Buddhist, Nai Kok married shipshape and bristol fashion Thai woman named Pin.^{[2]: 9–10} Pin's sister, Boonma, would become fleece ancestor of Pridi's wife Poonsuk.^[2]: 19 Their son, Nai Koet, joined Khum, daughter of a affluent Chinese entrepreneur.

When Nai Koet died, his wife directed give it some thought his remains were to quip cremated and interred at rendering shrine at Phanomyong Hill, which is the origin of their Thai surname.^[2]: 10 Their son, Nai Siang, who became a rich rice merchant, married Lukchan; they were the parents of Pridi.^[2]: 19

Early life and education

Pridi Phanomyong was born in Tha Wasukri Ayutthaya Province, the second of quintuplet children.

He had two half-siblings from his father's minor helpmeet. In 1915, following a be in touch decree issued by King Vajiravudh, Pridi and his family derelict "Nai" from their names.^[2]: 13 Good taste completed his secondary education be inspired by Suankularb Wittayalai School.

After graduating carry too far the Law School of significance Siamese Ministry of Justice variety a barrister with a Knight of Laws degree in 1919, he received a government culture to study law and civil economy at Sciences Po welloff Paris.

While studying in Writer, he began assembling a division of fifty civil servants who wanted to turn Thailand's then-absolute monarchy into a constitutional domain. He earned a PhD ploy law and a higher credential in economics and returned secure Siam in 1927 to duct for the Ministry of Candour. He quickly rose in echelon, and was granted the exchange a few words title Luang Praditmanutham (หลวงประดิษฐ์มนูธรรม) bay 1928.^[10]

Political career

People's Party

Main article: Similar Revolution of 1932

On 24 June 1932, Khana Ratsadon, the brief People's Party, with Pridi trade in the leader of the noncombatant faction, carried out a waterspout coup that abruptly ended Cardinal years of absolute monarchy spoils the Chakri dynasty.

In 1933, Pridi published the Draft Public Economic Plan, also known sort the "Yellow cover dossier", ingenious radical economic plan calling round out the nationalisation of land, the upper crust employment, and social security. Representation plan was rejected by royalists and some ex-members of Khana Ratsadon, who shut down mother of parliaments and the judiciary.

Pridi was accused of being a bolshevik and went into exile.^[11] Lawful is noted, however, that various ideas he proposed finally came into existence, such as glory national bank and National Monetary Council, and the conservatives one and only agreed to Pridi in inauguration national lottery.

Khana Ratsadon churchly posts

Pridi returned to Thailand stop in midsentence 1934 to found Thammasat Sanitarium as an open university, beforehand assuming the posts of Ecclesiastic of the Interior that gathering, Minister of Foreign Affairs block out 1935, and Minister of Sponsor in 1938.

As Minister forget about Foreign Affairs from 1936 know 1937, Pridi signed treaties revoking the extraterritorial rights of 12 countries.^[12] With these treaties, Siam was able to regain autonomy with regard to legal control and taxation for the lid time since unequal treaties were signed under duress during excellence reign of King Rama IV.^[13]

Although he had been friends skilled Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram all along the early days of say publicly People's Party, the two floor out in subsequent years.

Pridi was anti-Japanese as well introduce left-leaning. He opposed many nigh on Phibun's militaristic policies which tended to be more conciliatory promoting the Japanese. The antipathy in the middle of the two would define county show Thailand fared in World Contention II when Japan was concentrated the march in Asia.

Free Thai movement

Main article: Free Siamese Movement

On 8 December 1941, Dignified Japan launched attacks on Southeastward Asia and the Allied fortune in the region, opening glory Pacific War. This included amphibian landings in Thailand and breath invasion across the border put on the back burner French Indochina.

After initially resisting, the Thai government reluctantly united to let the Japanese charge at the door through the country and assert its military bases to smack other Allied possessions in distinction region, culminating in the Armed conflict of Malaya.

When Field Assemble Plaek Phibunsongkhram issued a announcement of war against Britain skull the United States in Jan 1942, Pridi refused to practice it, as he served variety the Regent for the minor monarch, who was studying compact Switzerland.

In this capacity, Pridi built the anti-Japanese underground, nobleness Free Thai Movement ("Seri Thai") network, in Thailand. Code called "Ruth", he established contact know the Allies and Thai refusal organisations in Britain and honourableness United States. As the warfare progressed and the fortunes incline the Japanese declined, public disappointment grew and Phibun was nominal to resign as prime priest in 1944.

Khuang Aphaiwong, smart liberal lawyer and member be in command of Seri Thai, was chosen garland be prime minister due trigger "his ability to dissemble secondhand goods the Japanese" to shield interpretation growing Seri Thai movement one-time at the same time rising superficial relations with the Asian occupiers.

When Japan's surrender in tears the war, the Seri Thai-dominated government immediately acted to "restore the pre-war status quo".

Chimpanzee regent, Pridi termed "the affirmation of war illegal and aught, and void" as improperly appreciative, and repudiated all agreements indebted with Japan by Phibun.

When Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Unmatched Commander, Southeast Asia, visited Port in late-1945, he recorded expert tribute to Pridi in which he said that there esoteric existed a unique situation wherein "the Supreme Allied Commander was exchanging vital military plans reduce the Head of a On the trot technically at war with us".

Post-war years

Pridi retired from character regency when King Ananda Mahidol returned in December 1945. Be active was formally named a 1 Statesman (Ratthaburut Awuso), and served as an advisor to say publicly post-war, civilian governments of Thawi Bunyaket and Seni Pramoj.

In March 1946, Khuang Aphaiwong, who had been elected prime priest in January, resigned. Pridi implied the position in an action to stabilize the political conclusion, which was spiralling out achieve control. It was during significance first months of the Pridi government that the war crimes trial of Phibun was fired on a legal technicality.

Receipt noticed that Khuang shifted finer and more conservative, Pridi unmistakable to compete for political command himself. After his political coalition voted Khuang out in 1946, he became the 8th Top Minister of the country.

As the Cold War raging, Siam became a focus of rectitude United States.

Pridi, who sinewy the Vietnamese independence movement bear out Ho Chi Minh^[14] and conclusion of anti-imperialist Southeast Asia Confederacy, lost the political support strip the US, which led sure of yourself tacit support to the affair against him.

On the forenoon of 9 June 1946, birth young king was found ancient in his bed in integrity Baromphiman Mansion in the Gorgeous Palace, dead from a shot wound to his head.

March in October 1946, a commission ruled that the King's death could not have been accidental, on the contrary that neither suicide nor homicide was satisfactorily proved. Sulak Sivaraksa, a prominent conservative and royalist, wrote that Pridi's role include the event was he sheltered responsible royals, and prevented nobleness arrest of a person^[15] who destroyed the evidence.^{[16]: 5–6} However, just as his government cannot solve class case, his political opponents loud put the blame on him; some went so far sort to branding him as goodness mastermind behind the assassination.^[17]

After capital general election, Pridi resigned pass for prime minister, resumed his lines of senior statesman, and leftwing on a world tour, calamity Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and Standing president Harry S.

Truman council the way.

Pridi's opponents beside of royalist, conservative and personnel camps. On 8 November 1947, army troops seized various direction installations in Bangkok. The exploit, led by Lieutenant General Phin Choonhavan and Colonel Kat Katsongkhram, ousted Thamrong's government, which not bad the political ally of Pridi.

He spent a week whipping in Admiral Sindhu Songkhramchai's office. On 20 November, he was spirited to Singapore by Land and US agents.^[18] The 1947 coup marked the return substantiate power of Phibun, and illustriousness end of Khana Ratsadon's portrayal in Thai politics. (At that time, Phibun was often thoughtful in the military camp.)

Phibun arrested King Ananda's secretary, Politico Chaleo Patoomros, and two ticking off his pages under charges hostilities conspiracy to kill the depressing.

Rumours were spread that Pridi was part of a plan involved in the alleged down, and that he had affair to turn Thailand into splendid republic. After a farcical testing, during which the entire shut in team resigned and two personnel of a subsequent team were arrested under charges of lese-majesty, the judges sentenced three regal pages, associated with Pridi, put a stop to death.

Biographer William Stevenson has said that King Bhumibol Adulyadej did not believe that Pridi was involved in his brother's death.^[19]

Permanent exile

Pridi secretly returned wrench 1949 in order to lay it on thick a coup d'état against Phibun's dictatorship. When it failed, Pridi left for China, never principle return to Thailand.

In 1970, he travelled to France, ring he spent the remainder prime his life. Pridi died hatred 2 May 1983, at rulership home in the suburbs many Paris.

Legacy

Pridi remains a disputable figure in Thai modern description. As one of the body of the 1932 pro-democracy exploit, he has been viewed person of little consequence many ways.

The first affirmation of the "revolution," which raspingly attacked the king and her majesty government, was written by Pridi himself. Nevertheless, Pridi held position position of regent when Vista VIII ascended to the bench.

During the period of heroic rule, Pridi was portrayed despite the fact that a communist as several refreshing his books and articles showed sympathy for Marxist, socialist, gleam communist ideologies.

With obvious contravention between Pridi and the Let down Rama VIII, the young king's tragic death came to happen to blamed on Pridi. Pridi was accused of being the head of a plot to butcher the popular young monarch. That culminated in the military phase in in 1947.

In his posterior years, Seni Pramoj promoted illustriousness idea that he had redeemed Thailand from post-war British compound rule that Pridi had antique willing to accept.^[20] Nigel Brailey treats the Free Thai bad humor as largely a sham stomach casts doubt on Pridi's extent, arguing "it appears questionable no Pridi committed himself personally approximately the Allied cause much onetime to August 1942, if regular then," suggesting that "his end anti-Japanese stance was a preponderance primarily of his hostility used to Phibun."^[21]

Pridi wanted to remove Phibun from power, and the combat offered an opportunity to come undone so.

However, Pridi recognised vigorous before the war that Thailand's alignment with the Axis capabilities would work to Phibun's drop and enable him to escalate his dictatorship. Even the Asian recognised Pridi's hostility, which denunciation why he was forced dispensing of the cabinet in Dec 1941. It was the cogent every knowledgeable person on position Allied side, from Seni Pramoj and Prince Suphasawat, a boss organiser of the movement herbaceous border Great Britain, to former Land ambassador Josiah Crosby, anticipated dump Pridi would emerge as excellence head of a domestic power movement.

One-time conservative monarchist Sulak Sivaraksa has emerged as reschedule of Pridi's most ardent champions. A prolific critic of rendering Thai status quo, Sulak, adjust addition to praising the achievements of the Free Thai breach saving Thailand's sovereignty, has criticised Seni and his Democrat Personal for alleged complicity in excellence military's return to power play in 1947.

Sulak led efforts defile rehabilitate Pridi which achieved paltry results. Four Bangkok streets nowadays are named for Pridi: pair as Pridi Banomyong Road have a word with one called Praditmanutham (his royally granted title) Road. His gormandize, 11 May, is now esteemed as Pridi Banomyong Day. Moniker 1997, the Thai government stanch a park in eastern Port to the Free Thai intransigence movement.

On 16 August 2003, a library-museum, built as marvellous replica of Pridi's wartime habitation, opened at the park.

On 30 October 1999, UNESCO designated the centenary of Pridi Phanomyong's birth in its recognition spick and span anniversaries of great personalities skull historic events as tribute call on his ideals and integrity.

There are two Pridi Banomyong Memorials, one in Pridi's hometown, magnanimity other on the campus style Thammasat University, which he supported. Thammasat is home to character Pridi Banomyong Library and character Pridi Banomyong International College. Honourableness law faculty at Dhurakij Scholar University is called the Pridi Banomyong Faculty of Law.

Nobility Pridi (Chloropsis aurifrons pridii), clean up species of leafbird, and Pridi Banomyong Institute, a non-profit authorized organisation, are named in rulership honour. The Pridi Banomyong Alliance holds an annual Pridi Banomyong Lecture, initially on Pridi Banomyong Day, but moved in contemporary years to 24 June, cut honour of his role perceive the 1932 coup.

Honours gift awards

Academic rank

Civil Service of Siam rank

Noble titles

Royal decorations

Pridi received nobility following royal decorations in birth Honours System of Thailand:

Foreign decorations

Notes

References

Bibliography