Republic of Thailand: Difference between revisions
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Under his leadership, Plaek Phibunsongkhram modeled his government and reforms explicitly based on Mussolini's reform through modernization and westernization of Thai life through fashion, film, and eating utensils; but the most effort was expended on creating a national state, respected amongst its peers.
At the start of the Pacific War, the Japanese Empire pressured the Thai government to allow the passage of Japanese troops to invade British-held Malaya and Burma.
The Thai government under Phibun also considered it profitable to co-operate with the Japanese, since Thailand saw Japan as an ally against Western imperialism and retaking their lost lands in Indochina.
Taking advantage of the miraculous fascist victories in Europe, and buoyed by Japanese promises, Phibun and his general staff launched several campaigns into surrounding French and British territory in Indochina and Malaya, while the Japanese were still largely tied down on the Burmese and Chinese fronts.
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Meanwhile, the Thai government had split into two factions: the Phibun regime and the Free Thai Movement, a pro-Allied resistance movement that was supported by government officials allied to the regent Pridi Banomyong.
The movement was active from 1942, resisting the Phibun regime and the Japanese. The partisans provided espionage services to the Allies, performed some sabotage activities that damaged Phibun's image, however it had failed to make any headway. Despite their failure, the existence of this organisation proved a thorn in Phibun's side to acquring absolute authority.
=== A Backstab and the Economic Stagnation ===
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Despite Sarit’s eccentric personality, his drunken rampage would eventually save Phibun’s legacy. As a result of his drunken ramapge, the state apparatus took the opportunity to remove Sarit from his post, restoring the status quo and the previous balance of power by 1960. However, at the cost of the military now having a clear dominance over civilian institutions.
This leaves the Republic of Thailand in 1962, not one of glorious liberation, but a nation ravaged by decades of war, natural disasters, political chaos and infighting.
The old marshal's health reflects the nations state, as Phibun's health begins to falter. This means that a successor must be found soon, a topic that not even Phibun seems to care about, wishing instead that he could escape the capital and spend the last of his days in peace, yet unfortunately for the Marshal, his own creation wouldn’t be so kind to him…{{Starting Countries}}
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