Thursday, May 24, 2012

Introduction To The Revolution ....


The Siamese Revolution of 1932 or the Siamese Coup d'état of 1932 (การปฏิวัติสยาม พ.ศ. 2475 หรือ การเปลี่ยนแปลงการปกครองสยาม พ.ศ. 2475) was a critical turning point in Thai history during the 20th century during the ruling of King Prajadhipok, Rama VII. The revolution happened on the 24th of June, which the system of government in Thailand, back then called Siam, was changed from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch does not have much power because there is a constitution. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch has absolute power. 
The revolution was caused by a group of civilians and military called “Khana Ratsadon” in Thai, known in english as the “People’s Party”. There were the first political party ever formed in Siam. The group consist of Colonel Phahon Phonphayuhasena (Phot Phahonyothin), as the Head of the Military Faction and the Leader of Khana Ratsadon, as well as Major Minister Luang Praditmanutham (Pridi Phanomyong), as the Head of the Civil Faction and the Vice Leader of Khana Ratsadon who had a huge impact on the Siamese Revolution. 
The revolution or the Coup d'état ended 700 years of absolute rule of kings over Thai history during the Chakri Dynasty. The revolution became a global historical change as well as a social and political change. The revolution caused the people of Siam to have their first constitution. 


Timeline Of The Siamese Revolution In 1932


*Press on the picture for full screen. 

Map Of Siam In 1932


*Press on the picture for full screen.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Economy


The Economy in the period of the Thai revolution of 1932 was very bad. It started in 1930 when there was the Wall Street Crash and the economic meltdownDuring that time, the stock market was failing and it effected the world including Siam. Rice, tapioca, and corn, which are low cost items became very expensive in the market. People who had a lot of money can’t buy things because they became to expensive and over priced. King Rama the 7th (Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Prajadhipok Phra Pok Klao Chao Yu Hua) saw the problems happening in the country so he wanted to solve it. King Prajadhipok started lowering the monthly wage of the people who work for the government, and started firing some of them only keeping half. Soldiers working during that period quit their jobs because the King lowered their budget. This caused them to work at new jobs that they aren’t specialized in. Other than that, the King told his family (the Royal Family) to be thrifty of the money they have. This caused gossips to happen in the country that the King fired people who are poor and didn’t fire the people who worked for him and who is close to him. People believed that the economy problems started because of Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua, King Vajiravudh, or King Rama the 6th’s bad leadership when he was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until 1925.



New Ideas


During that period, Major Minister Luang Praditmanutham (Pridi Phanomyong), as the Head of the Civil Faction and the Vice Leader of Khana Ratsadon wanted to change the government system in Siam. Khun Pridi received a government scholarship to study law and political economy in Paris, France, and returned to Siam in 1927 to work for the Ministry of Justice. After he came back, he rapidly rose in rank and he was given the royal title of “Luang Praditmanutham (หลวงประดิษฐ์มนูธรรม). During that time, he started to put together a group of 50 civil servants who wanted to change the government system from an absolute monarchy with a constitutional monarchy. When he went to France, he saw the way the other countries developed so it gave him an idea. During that time, France was already a constitutional monarchy and Pridi wanted Thailand to become a constitutional monarchy so that the people in Siam can have a voice and so that everyone in the country can have the same rights. 
In 1933, Pridi went to straight to King Rama 7th to share his idea. Pridi told him that he wrote an economic program to help change Siam into a constitutional monarchy. Pridi wrote a book called “Yellow Cover Dossier” or “สมุดปกเหลือง” in Thai. This book outlined his idea for the country the plan of the Siam’s financial, economic, and social structure. In his own words, he wrote that “this change of administration is not merely a coup d'état but an economic revolution” (Pridi, Yellow Cover Dossier). Even though this book was presented to the King after the revolution, Pridi started writing it in 1932 and starting gathering ideas back then to produce the book. 
In the book, Pridi tried to express and share his idea about the new government system by suggesting many collective ideas mainly about distributing different wealth and land to the poor, national health, national fortune, national happiness, government guided economy, money for countryside farmers, and taxing system/ social assurance/safety for the poor. Pridi stated that his suggestions were a way to try to raise the standard of living for the poor. Later, he stated that  "Those who read the economic plan with a negative frame of mind would conclude that the government's attempt to run the economic system would de-humanise peoples into animals… I took great caution to prevent such de-humanisation; on the contrary, my desire was to help make people more human by eliminating the dangers to personal welfare brought about by economic factors…." (Pridi, Yellow Cover Dossier). The book was basically a mixture of liberalism and socialism. Liberalism is the open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values. Socialism is a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. Pridi’s plan makes sure that there is a right of private property. This is stated in section 1 and 5 in his book. The plan also stated the creation of a central bank.
Pridi’s book influenced the Siamese revolution of 1932 because it is about how he found out about the constitutional monarchy in France and how he wanted to make Siam use that government system as well. The King not agreeing to his ideas made this the main reason for the revolution and made this book have a lot of inspiration to have the revolution. 






Technology



During the Siamese revolution, there were many technologies. People started using cars, trains, and airplanes. People communicated using telephones and telegraphy which is basically a long distance transfer of messages without having to physically exchange or contact. Radios were also used during that time for the King to give out speeches and messages to the Kingdom. 



Technology influenced the Siamese revolution of 1932 because Khun Pridi used it to communicate his ideas to the people. On June 24th, Pridi announced that Siam became a constitutional monarchy on the radio. He also created a small booth/stage for him and his followers to give a live speech that they will be taking over the Kingdom. Pridi also cut off all the communications happening in the country so that he and his troop can take over the Kingdom and change the government system. This caused the people off Siam to suffer cause none of the technology was working. 

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