In the last entry on Thailand in the modern era, I have discussed why Siam maintained its independence against the threats of colonialism in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. One question remained for me in this brief study of Thailand’s history. How did Thailand fare during WWII?

A Time for Constitutional Monarchy

Came time for Rama VII to accede to the throne in 1926, he inherited significant budget deficit from his predecessor, Rama VI. During this time, the Great Depression had swept all world economies. Thailand was no exception. In 1931, most of Siam’s foreign exchange was held in the sterling. With Britain abandoning the Gold Standard, causing the sterling to drop 30% overnight, a fiscal crisis followed in Thailand.

Photo: The last King of Thailand, Rama IX the Great, King Bhumibol Aludyadej

King Prajadhipok had many, many hot potatoes to handle. As the king, he would become best known for being the “father of Thai democracy.” Even during the early years of his reign, he was keenly aware that some form of limitation to monarchial rule was vital to the survival of the reign. He introduced constitutional monarchy in Thailand in 1932, peacefully so, following the heels of the “bloodless revolution” of 1932.

A Wavering Alliance with the Japanese During WWII Due to Internal Political Rifts

Thailand’s survival of the Second World War was itself a tale to behold. The turns of events arose out of contentious internal politics, outright defiance by official dissenters and the simple blessing of serendipity. Rife with a web of complicated developments, the country’s emergence from the war could not be credited to the decisions of one leader, or any projected plans as could have been foreseen by anyone.

To understand Thailand’s history during World War II, one must know the Thai prime minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram as a pivotal figure. With a military career commanding for the People’s Party, Plaek Phibunsongkhram were strongly nationalist and fascist. As such, he steered the course of Thailand’s positioning during World War II with sympathy to the cause of the aggressors. Plaek Phibunsongkhram was the one that changed the name of the country from Siam to Thailand in 1939. This was part of his effort to fan nationalist sentiments in Thailand by elevating the status of the ethnic Thai people in the country, as opposed to the influential and wealthy Chinese people, and other ethnicities, such as Malay, Lao and Shan, then living in Thailand.

Like in World War I, Thailand chose to remain neutral in the beginning of World War II. In the mind of Thailand’s military leader, the impending war amongst the world powers presented a historic opportunity. With the colonial powers debilitating from the wars in the European continent, they stood to lose their grip in their Southeast Asian colonies. Thailand looked to win back some of the territories that were lost to Britain and France in the previous century. It engaged in battles with France. Despite scoring a winning streak against France, Thailand lost a decisive naval battle in early 1941. Japan than stepped in to broker a deal. Thailand managed to win back some of the territory that it lost to France in Cambodia and Laos.

In 1941, Japan requested Thailand to grant a passage through the country, and it was met with a mute response from Thailand. Japan invaded Thailand soon, just hours after the Pearl Harbor attack. Thailand then made a military pact, in which Japan had ready access to the military facilities of Thailand. Japan would soon prevail in the Malay peninsula against Britain. With that, Plaek Phibunsongkhram thought that Japan would eventually win the war. In early 1942, Thailand declared war against the Allies. Following this, the Allies raged bombing campaigns against Bangkok.

Power Changed Hands and Thailand Had New Cards

In an act of official defiance, the Thai ambassador in the United States, Seni Pramoj, refused to deliver the declaration of war to the United States government. This would turn out to be a critical advantage to Thailand later.

In 1942, Plaek Phibunsongkhram fought Burma alongside the Japanese and Japan awarded Thailand with some territory. In 1944, due to internal political strife, Plaek Phibunsongkhram was ousted as the prime ministry of Thailand. The successor Khuang Abhaiwongse, although appearing to be friendly to Japan, contacted the Allies. He made clandestine promises to return all the territorial gains in Burma and Malay. To the United States, similar promises were made with regards to Indochina. Khuang Abhaiwongse stepped down after WWII ended, as an act to distance the country from the ramifications of having involved with the Japanese during the war.

A powerful political ally of Khuang Abhaiwongse, Pridi Banomyong, then declared that Plaek Phibunsongkhram’s declaration of war against the Allies were unconstitutional. In 1945, the former Thai ambassador in the United States and a leader of the Free Thai Movement, Seni Pramoj, became the prime minister with the support of the United States. Despite having the reputation of being “the Italy of the orient,” Thailand had not been punished as Japan’s ally during Plaek Phibunsongkhram’s administration.

With support by the United States, Thailand earned a seat in the United Nations and received financial assistance by the U.S. after the war. Since 1952, Thailand has been a steady military ally to the United States.

Plaek Phibunsongkhram would regain power again and serve as the prime minister of Thailand between 1948 and 1957.

Sources

The Wikipedia on Prajadhipok.

World War II Database, Thailand.

The Wikiwand on Thailand in WWII.

The Wikipedia on Plaek Phibunsongkhram.

This was not the first time in Thailand for me, but surely my first time visiting Bangkok. My last trip to Thailand was more than a decade ago in Phuket.

I was quite excited about this trip because it was organized by my uncle with luxurious plans in top notch accommodation and dining. We would be staying at the high-end commercial area developed by the Erawan Group and the Central Group, our hotel of choice was the Grand Hyatt. The rest was all about enjoying ourselves with great company and fantastic food.

First Impressions of Bangkok

We touched down in Bangkok on a slightly overcast day. It was a Saturday but we were told to expect a bit of traffic from the airport to the Grand Hyatt Erawan. And true to the word, we were stuck in traffic in one end of the street for 20 minutes before making it to the other end of the street.It turned out that the traffic of Bangkok would be the single most annoying aspect of travelling in Bangkok. We had a hired driver throughout our stay, therefore we were not going to get on public transportation at all. As such, we were very often stuck in traffic at this busy and posh area of town.

We immersed in all the luxuries that Bangkok had to offer to those who could afford it. And most could afford them, for prices tend to be affordable in Thailand.

The Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel

We arrived at the dazzling world of the Erawan group as the hotel enveloped its visitors with endless Christmas charm. Christmas was maybe two weeks away, but the Buddhist country spared no effort in propping up the lavish appearances of a celebratory spirit that would appeal to visitors of the western world.

The Erawan Group runs a host of businesses in hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail and office rental in Thailand. As a leader of the hospitality business in Thailand, Erawan offers the full range of hotel options for visitors, from the luxury line to the very basic budget choices.

The Grand Hyatt is considered a luxury option under the Erawan Group. It does have a reputation for being haunted, however. The group of six businessmen that were murdered by poison (including the murderer’s own suicide) died in one of the villas in the Grand Hyatt in 2024. This made international news.

But people are naturally forgetful. When we checked in the hotel, we sensed in this festive atmosphere a business-as-usual vibe. We were not staying at the villas either, so I eagerly checked into a standard hotel room and enjoyed the comfort throughout my stay there.

The Erawan Shrine

Most followers of Buddhism would be very familiar with this area of Bangkok because the frequented Erawan Shrine lies right next to the Grand Hyatt. The sinews of the Buddhist faith reveal themselves fully in this street corner. We viewed the Erawan Shrine from the footbridge overlooking the intersection of Ratchadamri Road. The Erawan Shrine drove the movement of foot traffic, in and out, a stream that flowed consistently at any time of the day.

Worshippers of Phra Phrom, the resident deity at the Erawan Shrine, come in throngs to tender their tributes. Phra Phrom is a Thai representation of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation.

In Hong Kong, people refer to this Buddha as “the four-faced Buddha,” each of its face representing one aspect of life. First is work life, then wealth, health and money. Suffice to say, that these are indeed common pursuits for most human beings.

In the worship, followers would prepare incense, lotus flower, candles and water for their tender. “The deity is popularly worshipped outside of a Hindu religious context, but more as a representation of guardian spirits in Thai animist beliefs, nevertheless the shrine shows an example of syncretism between Hinduism and Buddhism.” (erawanbangkok.com)

Being Christian, however, I preferred to remain in the grand festiveness that the hotel has put together for its western guests. It felt much closer to heart for me than the Phra Phrom next door.

Spa, Spa and More Spa

In the plans were a few spa sessions in our four-day stay. I visited two spas, and both were quite good. Of the two spas, I preferred Diora, as my massage therapist nailed my pressure and pain points with much better precision at Diora.

Diora

Infinity Wellbeing

Siam Satiety — Ambrosia Overload

Dining in Thailand comes at a fraction of the cost in Hong Kong. This is the reason why Bangkok is an exceedingly popular vacation choice for Hong Kong people. We had quite a few meals at the Grand Hyatt restaurants, a private kitchen experience at a heritage building in the Mandarin Oriental, and a couple meals in the malls.

Be it western cuisine or the local flavors of Thailand, be it fine dining or street food, all the food we had were perfectly delivered with memorable highlights.

This first trip in Bangkok opened my eyes to a stellar array of Siam’s ambrosia. The western cuisines show a firm dedication to authenticity. The Thai specialties feature charming repertoires of Thai spices, bringing to the palate a harmonious fusion of complex flavors. There will be a food entry in this series.

Sources

Erawanbangkok.com on the Erawan Shrine.

The official website of the Erawan Group.