Sarit Thanarat
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Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat (also spelt Dhanarajata; Thai: สฤษดิ์ ธนะรัชต์, pronounced [sā.rìt tʰā.ná.rát]; 16 June 1908 – 8 December 1963) was a Thai general who staged a coup in 1957, replacing Plaek Phibunsongkhram as Thailand's prime minister until Sarit died in 1963. He was born in Bangkok, but grew up in his mother's home town in Lao-speaking northeastern Thailand and considered himself from Isan. His father, Major Luang Ruangdetanan (birth name Thongdi Thanarat), was a career army officer best known for his translations into Thai of Cambodian literature.
The coup edit
On 13 September 1957, Sarit handed Phibun the army's ultimatum. The ultimatum, signed by 58 army officers, called for the resignation of the government. The public was supportive of Sarit's ultimatum.
On 15 September, a public gathering assembled to protest Phibun and his government. The crowd, which quickly grew in numbers, marched to Sarit's residence to show support for the army's demands. As Sarit was not at home, the crowd broke into the government compound where they made speeches condemning the government. The protesters later returned to Sarit's home where he was waiting to address them. In his speech, Sarit said, "In the name of the army and deputies of the second category, I have conducted my activities based on popular will, and the interests of the people — your coming here gives me moral support to continue."
The following morning, Sarit and his army staged a coup d'etat. In less than an hour, the army successfully captured strategic points with no resistance. To identify themselves, Sarit's forces wore white arm bands as a sign of purity. Following these developments, Phibun immediately fled the country and Phao was deported to Europe. Thus began Sarit's rule.
According to many Western academics, the Cold War largely propped up Sarit's regime. In his book, Daniel Fineman states that Phibun, and later Sarit, aligned their foreign policies with US anti-communist foreign policy, so as to receive financial and military aid. Sarit's strict stance against communism further reinforced the US belief that only the Thai military could contain the communist threat.
Red-loincloth Marshal edit
Sarit got his alias as "Red-loincloth marshal" because he wears red loincloth during have sexual activities with his mistresses, so his alias is going notorious after his death.
The 81 mistresses edit
After Sarit's death in 1963, his mistresses and actions had been uncovered to public in first time, He have 81 mistresses, so each of his mistresses are unusually beautiful from global Thailand.
At least, that becomes a scandal about the struggle of his heritage by the lists of his mistresses had many occupations, ages such model, actress including high school students and junior high school students.
้Executions and Communist purges edit
The infamous Article 17 of the Interim Constitution of Thailand, 1959 or " M17" was the legal basis for Sarit to order executions. Using M17, parliament was abolished, newspapers were strictly censored, political parties were prohibited, and people who were suspected of colluding with communists were imprisoned. From 1958 to 1963, eleven people were executed under M17.
In 6 November 1958, Sarit used his orders to execute the Thai-Chinese man for arson in Talat phlu, Later in 26 June 1959 He ordered to execute the rebel leader, so the people knows that his regime is totalitarian regime.
Most notorious executions are executing Supachai Srisati who leaves leaflet that protests Sarit's Authoritarian regime, later in 30 June 1959, Supachai was arrested for "supporting communists" and "traitors" and being punish by death penalty with M17 by extrajudicial killings.
Another one case is Teacher Krong Chandawongse, former Free Thai Movement and Member of Parliament of Sakhon Nakorn and previously arrested for "separatists" and released in 1957, After Sarit's autocoup in 1958 and establishing the authoritarian regime but Teacher Krong is survived from first purges and he resigned from MPs to begin a career.
Teacher Krong and his friends establishes a secret anti-dictatorship factions called "Moral Unity (Thai: สามัคคีธรรม)" and provokes people to knows the labourer class, Later he was arrested in 6 May 1961 and being punish by death penalty with M17 by extrajudicial killings again.