COUP D’ETAT IN THAILAND

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28723, 22 October 1958, Page 15

COUP D’ETAT IN THAILAND

Army Takes Control (Rec. 9 p.m.) BANGKOK. October 20. Field-Marshal Sarit Thanarat. Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, took over the Government of Thailand today and the Prime Minister (General Thanon Kittikachorn) resigned with all his Ministers. Bangkok Radio announced that the move to oust the Government was backed by “all branches of the armed forces, the police and the people.” Field-Marshal Sarit Thanarat flew to Bangkok from London only on Friday. He had been in England for the last three months, recuperating from an operation in the United States earlier in the year. Field-Marshal Sarit Thanarat announced that the “revolution has come at the necessary time in view of the grave and dangerous situation in the country.’’ The King and the people were in danger, he said in a broadcast statement Submitting his resignation to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Prime Minister said he was “unable to conduct the Administration in the way necessary to achieve the goals desired.” He pledged his loyalty to the King General Thanon took office in January this year after a General Election which left the political parties in a position of stalemate

The election followed a peaceful coup d'etat headed by FieldMarshal Sarit Thanarat himself, which ended the long control of power by Field-Marshal Pibul Songgram.