Plaek Phibunsongkhram

Plaek Phibunsongkhram PChW MPCh MWM NR
แปลก พิบูลสงคราม
Phibun c. 1940s
3rd Prime Minister of Thailand
In office 8 April 1948 – 16 September 1957
Monarch	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Deputy	See list Fuen Ronnaphagrad Ritthakhanee Prayoon Yuthasastrkosol Worakarn Bancha Phin Choonhavan Sawat Sawatdironnachai Sawatdikea
Preceded by	Khuang Aphaiwong
Succeeded by	Sarit Thanarat (de facto)
In office 16 December 1938 – 1 August 1944
Monarch	Ananda Mahidol
Deputy	See list Adul Aduldetjarat Chaweng Saksongkhram
Preceded by	Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena
Succeeded by	Khuang Aphaiwong
Ministerial offices 1934–1957 Minister of Defence In office 12 September 1957 – 16 September 1957 Prime Minister himself Preceded by Sarit Thanarat Succeeded by Thanom Kittikachorn In office 28 June 1949 – 21 March 1957 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Suk Chatnakrob Succeeded by Sarit Thanarat In office 15 December 1941 – 15 November 1943 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Mangkorn Phromyothi Succeeded by Phichit Kriangsakphichit In office 22 September 1934 – 19 August 1941 Prime Minister Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena Himself Preceded by Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena Succeeded by Mangkorn Phromyothi Minister of Cooperatives In office 12 September 1957 – 16 September 1957 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Siri Siriyothin Succeeded by Wiboon Thammaboot Minister of Interior In office 2 August 1955 – 21 March 1957 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Pisan Sunavinvivat Succeeded by Phao Siyanon In office 15 April 1948 – 25 June 1949 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Khuang Aphaiwong Succeeded by Mangkorn Phromyothi In office 21 December 1938 – 22 August 1941 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Thawan Thamrongnawasawat Succeeded by Chuang Kwancherd Minister of Commerce In office 4 February 1954 – 23 March 1954 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Boonkerd Sutantanon Succeeded by Siri Siriyothin Minister of Culture In office 24 March 1952 – 2 August 1955 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by position established Succeeded by Pisan Sunavinvivat Minister of Finance In office 13 October 1949 – 18 July 1950 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Vivadhanajaya Succeeded by Chom Jamornmarn Minister of Foreign Affairs In office 28 June 1949 – 13 October 1949 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Mom Chao Pridithepphong Devakula Succeeded by Pote Sarasin In office 15 December 1941 – 19 June 1942 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Direk Jayanama Succeeded by Luang Wichitwathakan In office 14 July 1939 – 22 August 1941 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Jit Na Songkhla Succeeded by Direk Jayanama Minister of Education In office 16 February 1942 – 7 March 1942 Prime Minister Himself Preceded by Sindhu Kamolnavin Succeeded by Prayun Phamonmontri
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
In office 13 November 1940 – 24 November 1943
Preceded by	position established
Succeeded by	Sarit Thanarat
Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army
In office 9 November 1947 – 15 May 1948
Preceded by	Adun Adundetcharat
Succeeded by	Phin Choonhavan
In office 4 January 1938 – 5 August 1944
Preceded by	Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena
Succeeded by	Phichit Kriangsakphichit
Personal details
Born	Plaek[a] (1897-07-14)14 July 1897 Nonthaburi, Krung Thep, Siam (now Mueang Nonthaburi, Nonthaburi, Thailand)
Died	11 June 1964(1964-06-11) (aged 66) Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
Political party	Seri Manangkhasila (1955–1957)
Other political affiliations	Khana Ratsadon (1927–1954)
Spouse	La-iad Bhandhukravi (1903–1964)
Domestic partners	Phitsamai Wilaisak Khamnuengnit Phibunsongkhram
Children	6, including Nitya
Relatives	Krissanapoom Pibulsonggram (great-grandson)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Siam Thailand
Branch/service	Royal Thai Army
Years of service	1914–1957
Rank	Field Marshal Admiral of the Fleet Marshal of the Air Force
Commands	Supreme Commander
Battles/wars	Siamese Revolution Boworadet Rebellion World War II Franco-Thai War Pacific War Palace Rebellion

Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram^[b] (14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P.,^[c] and contemporarily known as Phibun in the West, was a Thai politician, military officer, and revolutionary who served as the 3rd prime minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957.

Phibun was a member of the army wing of Khana Ratsadon, the first political party in Thailand, and a leader of the Siamese revolution of 1932, which replaced Thailand's absolute monarchy with a constitutional monarchy. Phibun became the third Prime Minister of Thailand in 1938 while serving as Commander of the Royal Siamese Army. Inspired by the Italian fascism of Benito Mussolini, he established a de facto military dictatorship run along fascist lines, 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, which changed the country's name from "Siam" to "Thailand", and promoted the Thai language.

Phibun was ousted as prime minister by the National Assembly in 1944 and replaced by members of the Free Thai Movement, but returned to power after the Siamese coup d'état of 1947, led by the Coup Group. Phibun aligned Thailand with anti-communism in the Cold War, entered the Korean War under the United Nations Command, and abandoned fascism for a façade of democracy. Phibun's second term as prime minister was plagued by political instability and several attempts to launch a coup d'etat against him were made, including the Army General Staff plot in 1948, the Palace Rebellion in 1949, and the Manhattan Rebellion in 1951. Phibun attempted to transform Thailand into an electoral democracy from the mid-1950s onward, but was overthrown in 1957 and went into exile in Japan, where he died in 1964.

At fifteen years and one month, Phibun's term as Prime Minister of Thailand was the longest to date.

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