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Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (Thai: แปลก พิบูลสงคราม [plɛ̀ːk pʰí.būːn.sǒŋ.kʰrāːm]; alternatively transcribed as Pibulsongkram or Pibulsonggram; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Chomphon Por (Thai: จอมพล ป.;[tɕɔ̄ːm.pʰōn.pɔ̄ː]), contemporarily known as Phibun (Pibul) in the West, was a Thai military officer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand and dictator from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.
He was a member of the Royal Siamese Army wing of Khana Ratsadon, and a leader of the Siamese revolution of 1932 transforming Thailand from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. He became the third Prime Minister of Thailand in 1938 as Commander of the Royal Siamese Army, established a de facto military dictatorship inspired by the Italian fascism of Benito Mussolini, promoted Thai nationalism and sinophobia, and allied Thailand with Imperial Japan in World War II. Phibun launched a modernization campaign known as the Thai Cultural Revolution that included a series of cultural mandates, changing the country's name from "Siam" to "Thailand", and promotion of the common Thai language.
He is the longest serving Prime Minister of Thailand to-date at 15 years and one month.
As a Prime Minister of Thailand
On 16 December 1938, Phibun replaced Phraya Phahonphayuhasena as the Prime Minister of Thailand and as the Commander of the Royal Siamese Army. Phibun became the de facto dictator of Thailand and established a military dictatorship, consolidating his position by rewarding several members of his own army clique with influential positions in his government.
Later he proceeded the nationalism policies to the point of ultranationalism, and to support this policy he launched a series of major reforms known as the Thai Cultural Revolution to increase the pace of modernisation in Thailand. His goal "Aimed to uplift the national spirit and moral code of the nation and instilling progressive tendencies and a newness into Thai life".
His goal of cultural modernisation are banning the people to chew the gums, abolishing to wearing the loincloth for women, supporting to wearing hats, banning Thai musicals but supports international musicals.
On 24 June 1939, Phibun changed the country's official English name from "Siam" to "Thailand" at Luang Wichitwathakan's urging. The name "Siam" was an exonym of unknown and probably foreign origin, which conflicted with Phibun's nationalist policies.
In 1941, in the midst of World War II, Phibun decreed 1 January as the official start of the new year instead of the traditional Songkran date on 13 April.
Songsuradet Rebellion
Colonel Phraya Songsuradet, who was Phibun's rival, previously conflict with Phibun before 1932 Revolution, by Phraya Songsuradet's planner of revolution, Later Phibun asked him for his alternative plan for cope if revolution failure, but Phraya Songsuradet did not answer him, but asked back to Phibun and he didn't have plan too, later they are argued in midst of conference, After the conference, Phibun thinks that Phraya Songsuradet shouldn't live together with him in the world, as Phibun wants to kill him very bad, which developed conflict til Songsuradet Rebellion in 1939.
Franco-Thai War
Phibun exploited the Fall of France in June 1940 and the Japanese invasion of French Indochina in September 1940, He believed that he have a chance to decisive eliminate the French imperialism, and Phibun believed Thailand could recover territories ceded to France by King Rama V because the French would avoid armed confrontation or offer serious resistance. Thailand fought against Vichy France over the disputed areas from October 1940 to May 1941. The technologically and numerically superior Thai force invaded French Indochina and attacked military targets in major cities. Despite Thai successes, the French tactical victory at the Battle of Ko Chang prompted intervention from the Japanese, who mediated an armistice where the French were forced to cede the disputed territories to Thailand.
Alliance with Japan
After Franco-Thai War, Phibun declared that Thailand becomes neutral or non-aligned country until Japan invaded Thailand for invading Burma, Later Phibun was reluctantly forced to order a general ceasefire after just one day of resistance and allow the Japanese armies to use the country as a base for their invasions of the British colonies of Burma and Malaya. On 21 December Phibun signed a military alliance with Japan. The following month, on 25 January 1942, Phibun declared war on Allied forces, Phibun purged all who opposed the Japanese alliance from his government. Pridi Banomyong was appointed acting regent for the absent King Ananda Mahidol, while Direk Chainam, the prominent foreign minister who had advocated continued resistance against the Japanese, was later sent to Tokyo as an ambassador. The United States considered Thailand to be a puppet state of Japan and refused to declare war on it. When the Allies were victorious, the United States blocked British efforts to impose a punitive peace.
Removal
In 1944, as the Japanese suffered many defeats and the underground anti-Japanese Free Thai Movement steadily grew in strength, the National Assembly ousted Phibun as prime minister and his six-year reign as the military commander-in-chief came to an end. Phibun's resignation was partly forced by two grandiose plans: one was to relocate the capital from Bangkok to a remote site in the jungle near Phetchabun in north central Thailand, and another was to build a "Buddhist city" in Saraburi. Announced at a time of severe economic difficulty, these ideas turned many government officers against him. After his resignation, Phibun went to stay at the army headquarters in Lopburi.
Second Premiership
Later in 1948, in midst of Political crisis, Phibun is back and becomes prime minister again from the coup by junta who previously wins battle in Franco-Thai War, Phin Choonhavan, Later Phin was promoted to field marshal after the coup, and Phibun experienced many political crisis, rebels, which risked his life for 9 years.
The Iron Marshal
Phibun was known as "The Iron Marshal" because he survived from many assassination attempts, espcially in Manhattan Rebels, as he was kidnapped and detained in HTMS Sri Ayutthaya, the coastal defence ship, was bombed, but he survived again, After that, his political career was ended in 1957 coup by field marshal Sarit Thanarat