Young Turks (Thailand)

The Young Turks in Thailand ( Thai กลุ่ม ยัง เติร์ก , Young Turks) were an influential group of regimental and battalion commanders responsible for several coups between the mid-1970s and the 1980s . The name is derived from the movement of the same name , which played a role in the Ottoman Empire in 1908 .

The core of the Young Turks had studied at the Chulachomklao Military Academy . Most of them were in the seventh year of the officers' school, graduating in 1960. After hard training, they had been deployed in the Vietnam War and counterinsurgency in Thailand . The group was formed after the collapse of the military order in the wake of the withdrawal of American soldiers from Southeast Asia and during the troubled and unstable democratic phase that Thai society experienced between 1973 and 1976.

In October 1976, the Thammasat University massacre in Bangkok took place, in which at least 46 students and civilians were killed. Then the king appointed the right-wing lawyer Thanin Kraivichien as head of government. Its extreme anti-communism and the curtailment of freedom rights, however, led to an even greater division in society and gave the communist insurgents additional impetus. The Young Turks supported General Chalard Hiranyasiri , who attempted a coup in March 1977 to end the unpopular Thanin government . The coup failed, Chalard was executed and his followers imprisoned. In October of the same year, however, the army leadership carried out a successful coup and General Kriangsak Chomanan became Prime Minister .

The Young Turks then played the tip of the scales within the split army command. In 1980, General Kriangsak had to clear the way for General Prem Tinsulanonda after the Young Turks had refused him allegiance. After accusing the political leadership of political weakness, they attempted a coup on April 1, 1981 (hence English: April Fool's coup , " April Fool's coup "). They hoped Prem would join them. He withdrew to Nakhon Ratchasima together with the royal family . The lack of support from King Bhumibol Adulyadej and General Prem for the Young Turks made their plans seem hopeless, and within a few days they gave up. Most of the members of the Young Turks were kicked out of the army or transferred to other posts. But some were able to get back into action in a failed coup in September 1985.

The Young Turks represented a diverse mixture of selfishness and political interest, which was limited to tracing the degeneration of the political system only to civilians and business people.

Known members

GenMaj Chamlong Srimuang , later Governor of Bangkok (1985-92), Chairman of the Palang Dharma Party (1988-92), Co-Leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy (also known as the Yellow Shirts) (since 2006)
GenMaj Manoonkrit Roopkachorn , later President of the Senate (2002-04)
Gen Pallop Pinmanee , later Senator, Deputy Director of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), responsible for fighting the rebels in the conflict in southern Thailand
GenMaj Sanan Kachornprasart , later Secretary General of the Democratic Party (1988–2000), Minister of the Interior (1994–95, 1997–2000), Deputy Prime Minister (1990, 1998–2000, 2008–11)

literature

Suchit Bunbongkarn: The Military in Thai Politics, 1981-1986. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore 1987, especially pp. 9–31.
Michael Leifer: Dictionary of the modern politics of South-East Asia. Routledge, London 1996, ISBN 0-415-13821-3 . Article: "Young Turks (Thailand)".
Chai-Anan Samudavanija: The Thai Young Turks. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore 1982, ISBN 9971902397 .