Phraya Manopakorn Nititada

Phraya Manopakorn Nititada

Phraya Manopakorn Nititada ( Thai : พระยา มโน ปกรณ์ นิติ ธาดา , RTGS : Manopakon Nitithada, pronunciation: [ pʰráʔjaː mánoːpàkɔːn nítìtʰaːdaː ] shortly Phraya Mano (-pakorn) ; * 15. July 1884 in Bangkok as Kon Hutasing ; † 1. October 1948 in Penang , Malaysia ) was a Thai lawyer, government official, and politician. At the suggestion of the “ People's Party ”, after the non-violent coup in Siam in 1932, he was the first Prime Minister of Thailand , which at that time was still called Siam .

Early years and education

Phraya Manopakorn Nititada was born Kon Hutasing in Bangkok . His parents were Huad Hutasing and his wife Kaeo. He later married Nit Samsen, who was later called Khunying Manopakorn Nititada.

He began his training at the Wat Ratchaburana School in Bangkok, and later at the prestigious Suankularb Wittayalai School , the private Assumption School and the Justice Ministry 's School of Justice. After graduating with a bachelor's degree , he received a royal scholarship to study at the Middle Temple Bar Association in England.

Return to Siam

On his return to Thailand, he first worked in the Ministry of Justice and received the feudal honorary title Luang Praditpicharnkarn (Thai: หลวงประดิษฐ์ พิจารณ์ การ ). Because of his achievements, the king later awarded him the title of Phraya Manopakorn Nititada and made him Minister of Justice. In 1918 King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) appointed him to his privy council .

prime minister

After the non-violent coup in June 1932 with the aim of transforming Siam into a constitutional monarchy , Phraya Manopakorn was appointed and acted as President of the People's Committee on June 28, 1932 at 2 p.m. on the basis of the law on the interim administration of the Kingdom of Siam, on the proposal of Pridi Phanomyong kind of like prime minister of Siam. The Khana Ratsadon had planned and carried out the coup to establish a constitutional monarchy, but did not want to give the impression that it had done so in its own interest. That is why the neutral and respected Phraya Manopakorn was elected President of the People's Committee. His task was to draw up a constitution for Siam . On December 10th of that year the new constitution approved by King Prajadhipok was promulgated. On the same day, Phraya Manopakorn, who had formally resigned as provisional prime minister, was appointed the first prime minister under this constitution. Today the Constitution Day of Thailand commemorates the transition from the Absolute to the Constitutional Monarchy in Siam.

The government of Phraya Manopakorn was characterized by difficult economic conditions. Half of the cabinet consisted of members of the Khana Ratsadon, the rest were experts from the civil service and the military. The government has also been burdened by conflicts between cabinet members. In particular after Pridi had presented King Prajadhipok with a plan for the economic development of Siam, which the latter flatly rejected as “communist”, tensions between supporters and opponents of the plan (and also of Pridi) increased. Phraya Manopakorn also turned against the plan and tried to shut down Pridi by dissolving the cabinet. He also declared some articles of the Constitution "temporarily invalid" and suspended meetings of the People's Committee and judicial work. These events are also known as the "cold coup" or "April coup" (Thai: รัฐประหาร ใน ประเทศไทย เมษายน พ.ศ. 2476 ). Pridi fled to France.

On April 1, 1933, the parliament was dissolved by royal decree by King Prajadhipok and Phraya Manopakorn was again appointed prime minister. He passed a law against communism that enabled him to arrest people close to communism. This affected the entire leadership of the Siam Communist Party . The freedom of the press was curtailed, press censorship introduced and numerous newspapers and printing works banned. On June 16, 1933, General Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena , the strong man of the military wing of the Khana Ratsadon, and three other senior military officials resigned from their cabinet positions on "health grounds".

Fall and Exile

Phraya Manopakorn remained in office until June 20, 1933, when Phahon carried out another bloodless coup . Phraya Manopakorn was exiled to Penang. He lived there until his death on October 1, 1948.

Web links

• Biography of Thai Prime Ministers: Phya Manopakorn Nitithada (Gon Hutasingsa) at thaigov.go.th (including information about his cabinets)
• History of Thai Prime Ministers

Note on Thai names : This article addresses people by their first name.