During the fourteen years of 1944–57, Thailand initially lurched towards growing political space, then back in the direction of author¬itarianism and finally towards a form of military-guided democracy loosely dominated by four strongmen: Field Marshal Plaek Phibun Songkram, Field Marshal Phin Chunhavan, General Phao Sriyanond of the police, and Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat.

Initially, hopes by civilians for democratization were bright. But ef¬forts at achieving pluralist rule could not escape the praetorian legacies. In the end, autocratic institutions proved too influential and prevailed across the political landscape. The year 1944 produced a rickety start for civilian rule in Thailand. During this period, Thailand's two institutions of historically durable autocracy—the monarchy and military—were suddenly weak at the same time. It now appeared possible that civilian rule—giving way to elections—could take root. The apparently omnip¬otent Field Marshal Phibun Songkram had been forced from office on 1 August by a mere vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly. Growing opposition among Thai people to Phibun was reflected in the 182-person National Assembly: it censured Phibun even though 58 of 91 assemblymen were appointed military officers (Figure 3.1).

It remains unclear to this day whether Phibun secretly manipulated his own exit from politics in 1944 so that he could perhaps return in fu¬ture as prime minister or whether he had been outfoxed by the National Assembly, his cabinet and regent, Pridi Panomyong, to risk censure and put forward his resignation. However, the following morning, soldiers were in the streets harassing National Security members suspected of opposing Phibun.

Now, with Phibun gone, there was a clear political vacuum. His prime ministerial predecessor, General Phraya Phahon, refused to again lead the country—though Phahon reluctantly did agree to return as military commander. The National Assembly named Khuang Aphaiwong as prime minister. Khuang was from a lineage of Khmer royalty centred at a principality that is now in Battambang province in Cambodia. Khuang's father had been Battambang's governor.2 In 1932 Khuang had been a civilian supporter of the end of absolute monarchy in Siam, and by the early 1940s had only lately joined Seri Thai. Moreover, his connections to some royals in the pre-1932 period earned him the distrust of some Promoters. In 1938 he joined the Phibun government as a minister in various postings and was given the military rank of major.