The declaration of the new Siamese state was read in the Royal Plaza by Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena, marking the end of absolute monarchy. As the senior member of the Khana Ratsadon, he emerged as the central figure of the 1932 revolution and served as the Prime Minister of Thailand between 1933 and 1938, navigating a volatile era of constitutional change.
Military Education and Early Career
Born in 1887 in Phra Nakhon Province to Colonel Kim and his mother Chap, Phahon received his early military training at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. He later studied at the Royal Prussian Main Cadet Institute in Lichterfelde before attending the Copenhagen University College of Engineering. Although he returned to Siam in 1912 due to depleted scholarship funds, he advanced steadily through the ranks. King Prajadhipok granted him the title of Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena in 1931, the year he reached the rank of colonel. By 1932, he held the position of Commander of the Royal Siamese Army.
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Phahon was a key participant in the Khana Ratsadon, a group of conspirators known as the Four Musketeers. Following the 1932 revolution, he acted as a primary military defender of the capital. In June 1933, he led a bloodless coup against the government of Phraya Manopakorn Nititada after the suspension of the constitution and the expulsion of Pridi Banomyong from the cabinet. He assumed the premiership immediately thereafter, securing the reluctant endorsement of King Prajadhipok.
Governance and Political Transition
His tenure as Prime Minister faced immediate challenges, most notably the 1933 Boworadet Rebellion, a royalist revolt that his government eventually suppressed. During his five-year administration, he managed a cabinet divided among military and civilian factions, including his associate Luang Phibunsongkhram. Following a 1937 scandal regarding crown real estate sales and subsequent budget disputes in 1938, his cabinet resigned. He transitioned into retirement, though he served as Inspector General of the Royal Thai Armed Forces during the Pacific War.
Fast facts
- Born: 1887, Phra Nakhon Province
- Died: 1947, Paruskavan Palace
- Prime Minister of Thailand: 1933-1938
- Military Rank: General, Admiral, Air Chief Marshal
- Education: Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, Royal Prussian Main Cadet Institute, Copenhagen University College of Engineering
- Burial Site: Wat Phra Si Mahathat
Questions readers ask
What was his role in the 1932 revolution?
He was the senior member of the Khana Ratsadon and read the declaration that established the constitutional Siamese state.
How did his time as Prime Minister conclude?
He resigned in September 1938 following budget issues and a government scandal involving the sale of crown property.
Achievements
- Prime Minister of Thailand (1933–1938)
- Minister of Interior of Thailand (1933–1934)
- Minister of Education of Thailand (1933–1934)
- Minister of Defence of Thailand (1934–1934)
- Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao — 1943
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the White Elephant — 1937
- Commander of the Order of the Crown of Thailand — 1929
- Victory Medal - Franco-Thai War — 1941
- Educated at Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy and Royal Prussian Main Cadet Institute
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