Khuang Aphaiwong

Major Khuang Aphaiwong Luang Kowit-aphaiwong
ควง อภัยวงศ์


4th Prime Minister of Thailand
In office 1 August 1944 – 31 August 1945
Monarch	Ananda Mahidol
Preceded by	Plaek Phibunsongkhram
Succeeded by	Tawee Boonyaket
In office 31 January 1946 – 24 March 1946
Preceded by	Seni Pramoj
Succeeded by	Pridi Banomyong
In office 10 November 1947 – 8 April 1948
Monarch	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Preceded by	Thawan Thamrongnawasawat
Succeeded by	Plaek Phibunsongkhram
Personal details
Born	(1902-05-17)17 May 1902 Phra Tabong Province, Siam, (Now Battambang, Cambodia)
Died	15 March 1968(1968-03-15) (aged 65)
Nationality	Thai
Political party	Democrat Party
Spouse(s)	Lekha Kunadilok
Religion	Theravada Buddhism

Khuang Aphaiwong (17 May 1902 – 15 March 1968; Thai: ควง อภัยวงศ์, also spelled Kuang, Abhaiwong, or Abhaiwongse) was three times the prime minister of Thailand: from August 1944 to 1945, from January to May 1946, and from November 1947 to April 1948.

Life and career

Khuang was born in Battambang (now in Cambodia), a son of the Siamese governor Chao Phraya Abhayabhubet. The Aphaiwongs were of royal Khmer lineage.^[1] Khuang attended Debsirin School and Assumption College, Bangkok, later studying engineering at the Ecole Centrale de Lyon in France. On his return to Thailand, he worked in the telegraph department, finally becoming director of the department. This earned him the feudal title Luang Kowit-aphaiwong. He married Lekha Kunadilok (Goone-Tilleke), daughter of Ceylon-born lawyer William Alfred Goone-Tilleke, founder of the law firm Tilleke & Gibbins.^[2]

Promoter of regime change and minister

Khuang was a member of the civil faction of Khana Ratsadon ("People's Party"), the group that promoted the Siamese revolution of 1932, that brought a regime change from absolute to constitutional monarchy. Afterwards, he served as minister without portfolio in the cabinets of Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena and Plaek Phibunsongkhram (Phibun). During World War II he was commissioned a major and joined the King's Guard. As such he was at the head of the mission to Battambang which in July 1941 took control of the Cambodian territories occupied during the Franco-Thai War, to be renamed Phra Tabong Province. His father had been governor of part of this region before it was ceded to France 1907.^[3] Later he became minister of commerce and communications.

First term as Prime Minister

On 1 August 1944, the Parliament elected him Prime Minister, after Phibun's plans to move the capital to Phetchabun and to create the Phutthamonthon park failed to get enough approval. He was a compromise candidate, standing between the Phibun supporters and the oppositional Free Thai Movement.^[4] Ostensibly he co-operated with the Japanese who had factually occupied Thailand during the war. At the same time, he shielded the Free Thai who actively collaborated with the advancing Allies.^[5] After the Japanese retreat he resigned on 31 August 1945, to make way for a new administration by the Free Thai forces.^[6]

Second term as Prime Minister

In 1946 he was one of the founders of the conservative Democrat Party, and became its first leader. The fourth national elections on 6 January 1946 were won by the Democratic 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.

Third term as Prime Minister and late life

He became prime minister a third time on 10 November 1947 following a coup d'état led by Field Marshal Phin Chunhawan. However, the coup leaders were not pleased with the performance of Khuang's government and forced him to resign on 8 April 1948. This also ensured Phibun to become Prime Minister again. Khuang continued in politics as the opposition leader and leader of the Democratic 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 66.

References

↑ Goscha (1999), p. 42
↑ Songsri Foran (1981), Thai-British-American relations during World War II and the immediate postwar period, 1940-1946, Thai Khadi Research Institute, Thammasat University, p. 83
↑ P. L.; A New Border in Asia; XXth century (Shanghai), Vol. I (1941)
↑ Thak Chaloemtiarana (2007). Thailand: The Politics of Despotic Paternalism. p. 16.
↑ David K. Wyatt (2004). Thailand: A Short History (Second ed.). Silkworm Books. p. 249.
↑ Wyatt (2004). Thailand. p. 251.
↑ Nicholas Grossman (ed.). Wife of cabinet minister elected first female MP. Chronicle of Thailand: Headline News Since 1946. p. 43.

Bibliography

Goscha, Christopher E., Thailand and the Southeast Asian Networks of The Vietnamese Revolution, 1885-1954, Routledge, 1999, ISBN 0700706224

Political offices
Preceded by Plaek Phibunsongkhram	Prime Minister of Thailand 1944–1945	Succeeded by Tawee Boonyaket
Preceded by Seni Pramoj	Prime Minister of Thailand 1946	Succeeded by Pridi Phanomyong
Preceded by Thawan Thamrongnawasawat	Prime Minister of Thailand 1947–1948	Succeeded by Plaek Phibunsongkhram

Prime Ministers of Thailand (List)

King Rama VII	Phraya Manopakorn Nititada Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena

King Rama VIII	Plaek Phibunsongkhram Khuang Aphaiwong Tawee Boonyaket Seni Pramoj Khuang Aphaiwong Pridi Banomyong

King Rama IX	Thawan Thamrongnawasawat Khuang Aphaiwong Plaek Phibunsongkhram Pote Sarasin Thanom Kittikachorn Sarit Thanarat Thanom Kittikachorn Sanya Dharmasakti Seni Pramoj Kukrit Pramoj Seni Pramoj Thanin Kraivichien Kriangsak Chomanan Prem Tinsulanonda Chatichai Choonhavan Anand Panyarachun Suchinda Kraprayoon Meechai Ruchuphan† Anand Panyarachun Chuan Leekpai Banharn Silpa-archa Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Chuan Leekpai Thaksin Shinawatra Chitchai Wannasathit† Thaksin Shinawatra Surayud Chulanont Samak Sundaravej Somchai Wongsawat Chaovarat Chanweerakul† Abhisit Vejjajiva Yingluck Shinawatra Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan† Prayut Chan-o-cha

"italics" indicate military officeholders "†" indicate acting or caretaker officeholders.

History of Thailand (1932–73)

Office holders	Individuals and institutions	Key events

The Monarchy Prajadhipok (Rama VII) Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) Regents of Thailand Prime Ministers of Thailand Phraya Manopakorn Nititada General Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram Khuang Aphaiwong Thawi Bunyaket Seni Pramoj Pridi Banomyong Thawan Thamrongnawasawat Pote Sarasin Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat	Military Field Marshal Phin Choonhavan General Phao Sriyanond Lieutenant-General Kat Katsongkhram Marshal of the Air Force Fuen Ronnaphagrad Ritthakhanee Others Direk Jayanama Luang Wichitwathakan Institutions Khana Ratsadon Free Thai Movement Coup Group Communist Party of Thailand Southeast Asia Treaty Organization Association of Southeast Asian Nations	Key events Rattanakosin Kingdom Siamese revolution of 1932 Constitutions of Thailand Siamese coup d'état of 1933 Boworadet Rebellion Rebellion of the Sergeants Songsuradet Rebellion Franco-Thai War Japanese invasion of Thailand World War II Thai cultural restoration Siamese coup d'état of 1947 Korean War Army General Staff Plot Palace Rebellion Manhattan Rebellion Silent Coup (Thailand) 1957 Thai coup d'état 1958 Thai coup d'état Vietnam War Communist insurgency in Thailand 1971 Thai coup d'état 14 October 1973 Uprising History of Thailand since 1973

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 73287765 LCCN: n2006083646 ISNI: 0000 0000 6393 7897 SUDOC: 139907971

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