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Luang Kowit-aphaiwong Khuang Aphaiwong | |
|---|---|
ควง อภัยวงศ์ | |
.jpg) Khuang in 1959 | |
| 4thPrime Minister of Thailand | |
| In office 10 November 1947 – 8 April 1948 | |
| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Preceded by | Thawan Thamrongnawasawat |
| Succeeded by | Plaek Phibunsongkhram |
| In office 31 January 1946 – 24 March 1946 | |
| Monarch | Ananda Mahidol |
| Preceded by | Seni Pramoj |
| Succeeded by | Pridi Banomyong |
| In office 1 August 1944 – 31 August 1945 | |
| Monarch | Ananda Mahidol |
| Preceded by | Plaek Phibunsongkhram |
| Succeeded by | Thawi Bunyaket |
| Leader of theDemocrat Party | |
| In office 6 April 1946 – 15 March 1968 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Seni Pramoj |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Khuang[a] (1902-05-17)17 May 1902 Phra Tabong, Burapha, Siam (nowBattambang, Cambodia) |
| Died | 15 March 1968(1968-03-15) (aged 65) Bangkok, Thailand |
| Nationality | Thai |
| Party | Democrat |
| Other political affiliations | Free Thai Movement |
| Spouse | Lekha Kunadilok |
Khuang Aphaiwong (also spelledKuang,Abhaiwong andAbhaiwongse;Thai:ควง อภัยวงศ์,pronounced[kʰūaŋʔā.pʰāj.wōŋ]; 17 May 1902 – 15 March 1968),[b] also known by his noble titleLuang Kowit-aphaiwong (Thai:หลวงโกวิทอภัยวงศ์,pronounced[lǔaŋkōː.wít.ʔā.pʰāj.wōŋ]), was the founder of theDemocrat Party and three times the prime minister ofThailand: from August 1944 to 1945, from January to May 1946, and from November 1947 to April 1948.
Khuang was born inBattambang (a city inCambodia), a son of the Siamese governorChao Phraya Abhayabhubet. TheAphaiwongs were of royalKhmer lineage.[1] Khuang attendedDebsirin School andAssumption College, Bangkok, later studying engineering at theEcole Centrale de Lyon inFrance. On his return to Thailand, he worked in the telegraph department, finally becoming director of the department. This earned him the feudal titleLuang Kowit-aphaiwong. He marriedLekha Kunadilok (Goone-Tilleke), daughter of Ceylon-born lawyerWilliam Alfred Goone-Tilleke, founder of the law firmTilleke & Gibbins.[2]
Khuang was a member of the civil faction ofKhana Ratsadon ("People's Party"), the group that promoted theSiamese revolution of 1932, that brought a regime change from absolute to constitutional monarchy. Afterwards, he served as minister without portfolio in the cabinets ofPhraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena andPlaek Phibunsongkhram (Phibun). DuringWorld War II he was commissioned a major and joined theKing's Guard. As such he was at the head of the mission toBattambang which in July 1941 took control of the Cambodian territories occupied during theFranco-Thai War, to be renamedPhra Tabong Province. His father had been governor of part of this region before it was ceded to France 1907.[3][better source needed] Later he became minister of commerce and communications.
Despite holding positions in the government, Khuang was largely apolitical and held technical posts such as Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department, and Minister of Communications.[4]
On 24 July 1944, Phibun submitted his resignation to theCouncil of Regency over theNational Assembly's refusal to accept two bills concerning the construction of a new capital city atPhetchabun and a Buddhist city nearSaraburi, which were defeated on July 20 and July 22 respectively. Whether this was a planned conspiracy to oust Phibun is unclear, with Khuang stating thatPridi Banomyong (Phibun's rival since the 1930s) had sent agents to get in touch with Assembly members. The council accepted Phibun's resignation on July 26. In an emergency session, the Assembly elected Khuang as Prime Minister, who was the vice-president of the Assembly at the time.[4] He was a compromise candidate, standing between the Phibun supporters and the oppositionFree Thai Movement.[5] Khuang attributed his success to Pridi's influence. His appointment was opposed by PrinceAditya Dibabha, head of the Council of Regency, who refused to sign the decree appointing Khuang as PM. After failing to persuade Khuang against becoming PM, Aditya resigned from the council on July 31. Pridi was named the sole regent by the Assembly and appointed Khuang PM on August 1.[4]
Khuang's cabinet was mainly made of civilians and Pridi supporters. Sindhu Songkhramchai of the navy was persuaded to become the Minister of Defence after Khuang had difficulties finding someone who would take the post. Phahon joined the cabinet as aMinister without portfolio to balance Phibun's influence over the army. After his resignation, Phibun had been at the military complex he built inLopburi and rumours circulated that Phibun would launce a coup against Khuang. To end tensions, the two men met in Lopburi and Phibun wrote a statement promising he had no intentions to oust Khuang. However, as long as Phibun maintained a role in the military there was always the possibility of a coup. In another meeting, Khuang sought to get Phibun to resign from his role as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Phibun refused. Once back in Bangkok, Khuang secretly abolished Phibun's post and named Phahon as Commander-in-Chief. Military units were then instructed to follow only Phahon's orders. Giving that the navy was largely loyal to Pridi, Khuang and Phahon sought refuge at the naval headquarters inThonburi in anticipation of a response from Phibun. Phibun, however, accepted the change and retired to Bangkok.[4]
In regards toWorld War II, Khuang made the re-establishment of good relations with the Japanese his priority, even if it was superficial. In the first policy announcement of his government, Khuang reaffirmed that Thai foreign policy would align with the Japanese. Matters relating to theFree Thai Movement were left to Pridi andThawi Bunyaket.[4] Additionally, he shielded the Free Thai who collaborated with the Allies.[6]: 249
After the defeat of the Japanese in August 1945, Khuang resigned on 31 August 1945, to make way for a new administration by the Free Thai forces. Thawi succeeded Khuang in a caretaker role until Senj Pramoj was appointed PM on September 17.[6]: 251
In 1946 he was one of the founders of the conservativeDemocrat Party, and became its first leader. Thefourth national elections on 6 January 1946 were won by the Democrat Party, which gained him a second term as prime minister starting on 31 January. Only 45 days later, on 24 March, his government lost a vote of no-confidence in parliament and he resigned.
Khuang became prime minister a third time on 10 November 1947 following acoup d'état led by Field MarshalPhin Chunhawan. In the1948 general election held on 29 January, Khuang's Democrat Party won 53 seats and secured a slim majority in the 99-member House of Representatives, although all members ran as independents. Khuang's government spent the next three months preparing to draft a new constitution to replace the1946 constitution.[6] The new constitution would further limit the military's role. Thecoup leaders were not pleased and forced Khuang to resign on 8 April 1948. This enabled Phibun to become prime minister again. Khuang continued in politics as the opposition leader and leader of the Democrat Party until all political parties were banned in 1958. His wife, Khunying Lekha Aphaiwong, was appointed senator in 1949, becoming one of the first female politicians of Thailand.[7]
Khuang died on 15 March 1968, at age 65.
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