The Political History

Early years: Poonsuk was born on January 2, 1912. After Lalita, she and Pridi had five more children: the late Pal Banomyong (son); Suda Banomyong (daughter); Suprida Banomyong (son); Dusadee Banomyong Boontasanakul (daughter); and Wanee Banomyong Saipradit (daughter).

From revolution to coup (1932-47): Pridi took part in the bloodless "revolution" staged in Bangkok in 1932 by a group of army/naval officers and civil servants who called themselves the "Promoters of Political Change". He was a member of the first Cabinet (People's Committee) in the new government and later founded the People's Party. In 1933 he proposed a national economic plan which called for sweeping social reforms. It was rejected as "communistic" by the National Assembly and the political climate became so hostile that Pridi left the country for a short period. He later rejoined the government as interior minister and busied himself with the reformation of the penal code and the rapid modernisation of the legal system. Around this time he also founded Thammasat University to train young lawyers in what he called the "moral and political sciences".

In 1935, he was sent abroad to renegotiate important bilateral treaties with Japan, the US and several European countries. Returning in late 1938, he was appointed finance minister in the new government of Plaek Phibulsongkhram (later Field Marshal), an old friend and another leading Promoter. Just before dawn on Dec 8, 1941 the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Thailand. Phibulsongkhram declared a ceasefire that same morning although Thai forces continued to resist for several more days. Shortly afterwards Pridi resigned his ministerial post in protest at what he saw as a hasty capitulation on Phibulsongkhram's part. He was "kicked upstairs" to the Council of Regents , the three-man body which was acting as the symbolic representative of the young King Rama VIII (who was studying in Switzerland at the time). Later that month Phibulsongkhram signed a treaty of alliance with the Japanese and on Jan 25 declared war on the US and Great Britain. During World War II Pridi was a leading, if necessarily discreet (given his position), light in the domestic wing of Seri Thai, the anti-Japanese resistance movement.

In July 1944, Field Marshal Phibulsongkhram, in what has been described as a "parliamentary coup", was outmanoeuvred by Seri Thai members within his own government and resigned. The Japanese surrendered on Aug 15 1945. Pridi, as sole remaining Regent, then termed the declarations of war on the Allies illegal and repudiated all agreements Phibulsongkhram had made with the Japanese. On Dec 5, King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) returned to Thailand. General elections were held in January 1946 and Pridi was appointed prime minister in March. On the morning of June 9, King Ananda was found in his bed fatally shot through the head. The same day, his younger brother, the present monarch, was proclaimed King Rama IX. On Aug 14 the new monarch returned to Switzerland. Two days later, citing the polite fiction of poor health, Pridi resigned. In November he went on a world tour to promote Thailand's candidacy for membership of the United Nations.

After his return to Thailand in early 1947 Pridi shunned domestic politics, For the next nine months, from the privacy of his riverside home in Bangkok or his upcountry retreat in Ayutthaya, he continued to advise the new prime minister, Thamrong Nawasawat, on foreign policy while trying to distance himself from the corruption and vice which he saw enveloping national politics. However, the lingering popular impression that he bore some kind of responsibility for King Ananda's death haunted him. Every day the newspapers were filled with insinuations and oblique references. Finally he had to take his children out of school to protect them from the constant taunting to which they were subjected. On Nov 8, using the government's failure to resolve the mystery of King Ananda's death as a pretext, Gen Phin Choonhavan staged a coup d'etat against Thamrong's administration. Both he and Pridi were forced to flee into exile.

Exile, return and final exile (1947-49): After Pridi and Thamrong fled the country, Khuang Aphaiwong was appointed interim prime minister. Field Marshal Phibulsongkhram emerged from retirement and in April 1948 replaced Aphaiwong as premier. On Feb 26 1949, Pridi secretly returned to Thailand. With the help of friends in the Navy and Marines he attempted a counter-coup against the Phibulsongkhram government. The attempt was foiled within a matter of days and Pridi limped into exile again. He never returned to his homeland.

The Nation

LAST MODIFIED: Sunday, 06-Feb-00 14:47:29 EST