Editing Thailand (section)

=== Constitutional monarchy, World War II and Cold War (1932–1975) ===
{{Main|Thailand in World War II|History of Thailand (1932–1973)}}
[[File:Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram.jpg|thumb|200px|Field Marshal [[Plaek Phibunsongkhram]], the longest serving Prime Minister of Thailand]]

A [[Siamese revolution of 1932|bloodless revolution]] took place in 1932, in which [[Prajadhipok]] was forced to grant the country's first constitution, thereby ending centuries of feudal and [[absolute monarchy]]. The combined results of economic hardships brought on by the [[Great Depression]], sharply falling rice prices, and a significant reduction in public spending caused discontent among aristocrats.<ref name="LePoer 1989" />{{rp|25}} 

In 1933, [[Boworadet rebellion|a counter-revolutionary rebellion]] took place to reinstate absolute monarchy, but failed.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|446–8}} Prajadhipok's conflict with the government eventually led to abdication. The government selected [[Ananda Mahidol]], who was studying in Switzerland, to be the new king.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|448–9}}

Later that decade, the army wing of Khana Ratsadon came to dominate Siamese politics. [[Plaek Phibunsongkhram]] who became premier in 1938, started political oppression and took an openly anti-royalist stance.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|457}} His government adopted nationalism and [[Westernisation]], [[Sinophobia|anti-Chinese]] and anti-French policies.<ref name="LePoer 1989" />{{rp|28}}

In 1939, there was a decree changing the name of the country from "Siam" to "Thailand". In 1941, Thailand was in [[Franco–Thai War|a brief conflict]] with [[Vichy France]], resulting in Thailand gaining some Lao and Cambodian territories.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|462}}

On 8 December 1941, [[Japanese invasion of Thailand|the Empire of Japan launched an invasion of Thailand]], and fighting broke out shortly before Phibun ordered an [[armistice]]. Japan was granted free passage, and on 21 December Thailand and Japan signed a military alliance with a secret protocol, wherein the Japanese government agreed to help Thailand regain [[Territorial losses of Thailand|lost territories]].<ref>Werner Gruhl, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=ow5Wlmu9MPQC&pg=PA112 Imperial Japan's World War Two, 1931–1945] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328150816/https://books.google.com/books?id=ow5Wlmu9MPQC&pg=PA112#v=onepage&q&f=false |date=28 March 2024 }}'', Transaction Publishers, 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-7658-0352-8}}</ref> 

The Thai government then declared war on the United States and the United Kingdom.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|465}} The United Kingdom, whose colony [[British Malaya|Malaya]] was under immediate threat from Thai forces, responded in kind, but the United States refused to declare war and ignored Thailand's declaration.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fine |first1=Herbert A. |title=The Liquidation of World War II in Thailand |journal=Pacific Historical Review |date=1965 |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=65–82 |doi=10.2307/3636740 |jstor=3636740 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3636740 |issn=0030-8684|url-access=subscription }}</ref>{{rp|66}} The [[Free Thai Movement]] was launched both in Thailand and abroad to oppose the government and Japanese occupation.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|465–6}} After the war ended in 1945, Thailand signed formal agreements to end the state of war with [[Allies of World War II|the Allies]].

[[File:ATrelations0018a-1.jpg|thumb|200px|King [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] addresses a [[joint session of the United States Congress]], 1960.]]

In June 1946, young King Ananda was found dead under mysterious circumstances. His younger brother [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] ascended to the throne. Thailand joined the [[Southeast Asia Treaty Organization]] (SEATO) to become an active ally of the United States in 1954.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|493}} Field Marshal [[Sarit Thanarat]] launched a coup in 1957, which removed Khana Ratsadon from politics. His rule (premiership 1959–1963) was autocratic; he built his legitimacy around the god-like status of the monarch and by channelling the government's loyalty to the king.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|511}} His government improved the country's infrastructure and education.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|514}} After the United States joined the [[Vietnam War]] in 1961, there was a secret agreement wherein the U.S. promised to protect Thailand.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|523}}

The period brought about increasing [[modernisation]] and [[Westernisation]] of Thai society. Rapid [[urbanisation]] occurred when the rural populace sought work in growing cities. Rural farmers gained [[class consciousness]] and were sympathetic to the [[Communist Party of Thailand]].<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|528}} Economic development and education enabled the rise of a middle class in Bangkok and other cities.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|534}} In October 1971, there was a [[1973 Thai popular uprising|large demonstration]] against the dictatorship of [[Thanom Kittikachorn]] (premiership 1963–1973), which led to civilian casualties.<ref name="Wyatt 2013" />{{rp|541–3}} Bhumibol installed [[Sanya Dharmasakti]] (premiership 1973–1975) to replace him, marking the first time that the king had intervened in Thai politics directly since 1932.<ref name="Britannica" /> The aftermath of the event marked a short-lived parliamentary democracy,<ref name="Britannica">{{Cite web |title=The 1973 revolution and its aftermath |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Thailand/The-postwar-crisis-and-the-return-of-Phibunsongkhram#ref52685 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411132934/https://www.britannica.com/place/Thailand/The-postwar-crisis-and-the-return-of-Phibunsongkhram#ref52685 |archive-date=11 April 2019 |access-date=23 August 2019 |website=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> often called the "era when democracy blossomed" (ยุคประชาธิปไตยเบ่งบาน).{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}