This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (December 2021) |
1981 Thai military rebellion | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
1st Army Area |
Prem Cabinet Monarchy of Thailand | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
San Jitpathima Manoonkrit Roopkachorn |
Prem Tinsulanonda Arthit Kamlang-ek | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
1st Army Area 1st Division, King's Guard 2nd Infantry Division, Queen Sirikit's Guard 9th Infantry Division 2nd Cavalry Division, King's Guard | 21st Infantry Regiment |
The 1981 Thai military rebellion was a military coup attempt to consolidate power by the government of Prem Tinsulanonda, staged by Thai military leaders of Class 7 on 1 April 1981, but a counter-coup by Prem, Arthit Kamlang-ek, and support by the royal family on 3 April led to the coup's failure, turning it into a rebellion. In Thailand, it is known as the "Young Turk Rebellion" (Thai: กบฏยังเติร์ก, romanized: Kabot Yang Toek), referring to the group of military officers that led the coup, or more mockingly as the "April Fools' Day Rebellion" (Thai: กบฏเมษาฮาวาย, romanized: Kabot Mesa Hawai), referring to the date of the coup along with its failure.[1] The coup attempt failed despite garnering the support of as many as 42 battalions, the most in Thai history.[1]