Army And Navy Clash In Siam

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 March 1949, Page 5

Army And Navy Clash In Siam

BANGKOK, Feb. 27.—Fighting between naval and army elements of the Siamese Services broke out in the main streets of Bangkok last night. The fighting began shortly after unknown persons seized temporary control of the Bangkok Government radio at 9.30 p.m., and announced that Premier Phibul and his Cabinet had resigned. The announcement said the new Premier was Nai Direck Jayanama, former Siamese Ambassador to London and a member of the wartime Free Thai underground movement. The radio went off the air during the announcement, and when it resumed broadcasting it said that Phi. bul was still Premier, and the interruption was not authorised. Heavy, sporadic artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire ensued at the arsenal, the Grand Palace, and near Phibul's residence between midnight and daybreak There were casualties, but the number of dead and wounded is not known. A reliable eye-witness said he saw bodies being loaded into trucks.

Army-controlled armoured vehicles fought a dawn street battle with marine-manned anti-tank guns near Phibul’s residence. The vehicles and guns suffered direct hits. By noon the opposing army and navy units had ceased lighting. The army-coni rolled and navycontrolled radios broadcast simultaneously to the Bangkok population conflicting bulletins. The army claimed to have quelled the revolt of dissident elements, while the navy-controlled radio claimed that there had been "brutal fighting” after the army had opposed naval elements trying "to do thei r duty to the nation." The police seized and guarded the Post Ollice, and both radio and air communications out of Bangkok were suspended.