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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand

Volume XVI-2024 (Special Issue)

senators (countersigned by the President of the Privy Council) (section 82), royal authority to

establish royal titles and bestow royal decorations, appointment and removal of high-ranked civil
officers such as Permanent Secretary, Director General, or ability to amend the constitution via

public referendum. Nevertheless, this constitution was shortly abolished by Field Marshal Plaek,
who seized the power, deeming the constitution too favorable to the king.

Field Marshal Plaek often had conflicts with the kings. Before he seized the power and
abolished the Constitution of the kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2492, he asked Prince Dhani Nivat,

the Regent, to repeal this constitution. But the Prince refused and asked Field Marshal Plaek
to wait for His Majesty King Rama IX to return to Thailand within the next 2 days. However,

Field Marshal Plaek did not wait and abolished the constitution with the help of his cabinet.
He then proposed the B.E. 2495 revision of the constitution of Siam Kingdom B.E. 2475 and

asked His Majesty King Rama IX to endorse it.
His Majesty King Rama IX provided his written Royal opinion on the constitution drafted

by Field Marshal Plaek, which was later published in Dr. Yut Sanguthai’s book offering
an explanation for each section of the constitution. The King disagreed with the confusing

constitution, which contained few sections addressing the rights and freedoms of the public.
Moreover, Field Marshal Plaek sought to a role for himself in the Privy Council through position

of Prime Minister within the constitution. However, no such provision existed in any constitution
worldwide. As a result, His Majesty the King asked two political scientists–one German and

the other French–to explain this impossible demand to Field Marshal Plaek.
During this period, the Royal initiative took place while His Majesty King Rama IX was at his

palace in Hua Hin. The King asked for government assistance to build a road to Ban Huay Mongkol
village and to construct Khao Tao reservior. However, Field Marshal Plaek’s cabinet instructed

government offices not to involve. As a result, His Majesty the King financed the projects himself.
His Majesty King Rama IX encountered another issue with Field Marshal Plaek regarding

the use of “type 2” representatives. When Field Marshal Plaek’s political party failed to secure
enough representatives in the election, he proposed using the “type 2” representatives instead

and suggested that the king appoint more of them. The King refused, explaining that this
would violate the constitution. Despite legal experts agreeing with the King, Field Marshal Plaek

persisted until the Supreme Court issued a final ruling, confirming that the King was right and
the appointment could not proceed.

In His Majesty King Rama IX’s speech given on the Army Day, January 25, 1956,
he emphasized the role of soldiers: “Soldiers are for defending the country. They belong to the

country–not to any individual or group, and that they must uphold the trust placed in them

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