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Ananda Mahidol
Rama VIII of Thailand
King of Siam, later King of Thailand
King Ananda Mahidol
Reign March 2, 1935–June 9, 1946
Born September 20, 1925 (1925-09-20)
Birthplace Heidelberg, Germany
Died June 9, 1946 (aged 20)
Place of death Bangkok, Thailand
Predecessor King Prajadhipok (Rama VII)
Successor King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
Royal House Chakri Dynasty
Father Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkhla
Mother Sangwal, the Princess Mother

Ananda Mahidol (Thai: อานันทมหิดล) or Rama VIII (full title: Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramen Maha Ananda Mahidol Phra Atthamaramathibodin, Thai: พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรมหาอานันทมหิดล พระอัฐมรามาธิบดินทร, HM King Ananda Mahidol, the Eighth King) (September 20, 1925 – June 9, 1946) was the eighth king of the Chakri dynasty of Thailand. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Heidelberg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. As of 2006 over 140000 people live within the city's area Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (krūŋtʰêːp máhǎːnákʰɔn) or Krung Thep ( for short is the Capital, largest The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 - Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช pʰuːmipʰon adunjadeːt Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;) (born Monday 5 December 1927 The Chakri dynasty has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Ratthanakosin era in 1782 following the end of Taksin of Thonburi 's reign when the Prince Father Mahidol Adulyadej Prince of Songkla (Somdej Pramahitathibej Adulyadejvikrom Prabarommarajajanok Chao Fa Mahidol Adulyadej Kromma Luang Songkla Nakarin - สมเด็จพระมหิตลาธิเบศรอดุลยเดชวิกรม Srinagarindra (ศรีนครินทรา ( 21 October 1900 – 18 July 1995) (pronounced See-nakarin was the late Princess Thai (th ภาษาไทย, transcription: phasa thai, transliteration:; pʰāːsǎːtʰāj is the national and Thai (th ภาษาไทย, transcription: phasa thai, transliteration:; pʰāːsǎːtʰāj is the national and Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Chakri dynasty has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Ratthanakosin era in 1782 following the end of Taksin of Thonburi 's reign when the The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj

Contents

Early life

Prince Ananda Mahidol Mahidol (Mom Chao Ananda Mahidol Mahidol — หม่อมเจ้า อานันทมหิดล มหิดล) was born in Heidelberg, Germany. Thai royal and noble titles signify relationship to the King The system is somewhat complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thai people Heidelberg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. As of 2006 over 140000 people live within the city's area Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. He was the first son of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej of Songkhla (son of King Chulalongkorn) and Mom Sangwal (last title Somdej Phra Sri Nakarindhara Boromaratchachonnani) who were studying there at the time. Prince Father Mahidol Adulyadej Prince of Songkla (Somdej Pramahitathibej Adulyadejvikrom Prabarommarajajanok Chao Fa Mahidol Adulyadej Kromma Luang Songkla Nakarin - สมเด็จพระมหิตลาธิเบศรอดุลยเดชวิกรม Chulalongkorn ( Rama V) (royal name Phra Chula Chomklao Chaoyuhua; พระบาทสมเด็จพระจุลจอมเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Thai royal and noble titles signify relationship to the King The system is somewhat complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thai people Srinagarindra (ศรีนครินทรา ( 21 October 1900 – 18 July 1995) (pronounced See-nakarin was the late Princess King Vajiravhud, his uncle, sent a telegram on October 13, 1925 auspiciously naming him "Ananda Mahidol" (อานันทมหิดล), meaning "the joy of Mahidol". Vajiravudh ( January 1, 1881 &ndash November 25, 1925) ( Rama VI, reigning title Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua; พระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฎเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หั Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ("Ananda Mahidol" is one word and is his first name. It is pronounced "Ananta Mahidon". When he held his birth rank of "Mom Chao" -- the lowest rank of Thai princes -- he used the surname of "Mahidol" from his father; his name at this point was thus "Mom Chao Ananda Mahidol Mahidol"). Thai royal and noble titles signify relationship to the King The system is somewhat complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thai people

He followed his parents to Paris, Lausanne, and then to Massachusetts when, in 1927, another uncle, King Prajadhipok issued a royal edict exalting him to the higher princely class of Phra Worawong Ther Phra Ong Chao. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Lausanne ( pronounced, Losanna is a city in Romandy, the French -speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 - Thai royal and noble titles signify relationship to the King The system is somewhat complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thai people (This edict also benefited other "Mom Chao" who were the children of Chao Fa and their commoner wives, among them his elder sister Mom Chao Galyani Vadhana and his younger brother who, upon his birth later in the year, was born Phra Worawong Ther Phra Ong Chao Bhumibol Adulyadej). Thai royal and noble titles signify relationship to the King The system is somewhat complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thai people Biography Early life Princess Galyani Vadhana was born on 6 May 1923 in London, England, the only daughter of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej Thai royal and noble titles signify relationship to the King The system is somewhat complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thai people Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช pʰuːmipʰon adunjadeːt Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;) (born Monday 5 December 1927

The family returned to Thailand in 1928 after Prince Mahidol finished his medical studies at Harvard University. Prince Mahidol died at age 37 in 1929, when Ananda Mahidol was just 4 years old. His widowed mother was thus left to raise her family alone.

A coup d'état in 1932 ended the absolute monarchy and raised the possibility that King Prajadhipok might abdicate. Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 - Queen Savang Vadhana, his grandmother, was concerned about Prince Ananda Mahidol's safety, since he was one of the likely heirs to the throne. Savang Vadhana of Thailand (also known as Queen Sri Savarindira born 10 September, 1862 as Princess Savang Vadhana (พระเจ้าลูกเธอ พระองค์เจ้าสว่างวัฒนา It was then suggested that the Mahidol family again move to Lausanne. Lausanne ( pronounced, Losanna is a city in Romandy, the French -speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva The official reason given was for the health and further education of the princes. They left Thailand in 1933 and Prince Ananda Mahidol spent most of his youth in Switzerland. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation

However, when King Prajadhipok's abdication appeared imminent, the Prince's mother was approached by a member of government, asking for her opinion about Ananda Mahidol becoming the next Thai monarch.

Circumstance of succession

See also King Prajadhipok's circumstance of succession

It was an interesting turn in the history of succession when King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) abdicated in 1935 due to political quarrels with the new quasi-democratic government as well as health problems, and abstained from exercising his right to name a successor. Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 - Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 - The kings in the current Chakri dynasty of Thailand are often referred to as Rama followed by Roman ordinal in English translation By that time, the crown had already passed from Prince Mahidol's line to that of his half-brothers when his eldest full brother, Crown Prince Maha Vajirunhis, died as a teenager during King Chulalongkorn's reign. Crown Prince Vajirunhis (สมเด็จพระบรมโอรสาธิราช เจ้าฟ้ามหาวชิรุณหิศ สยามมกุฎราชกุมาร Chulalongkorn ( Rama V) (royal name Phra Chula Chomklao Chaoyuhua; พระบาทสมเด็จพระจุลจอมเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว A half-brother, Prince Vajiravhud replaced Prince Vajirunahis as the Crown Prince, and Vajiravhud's mother was later made Queen Regent when King Chulalongkorn left for a European tour. Vajiravudh ( January 1, 1881 &ndash November 25, 1925) ( Rama VI, reigning title Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua; พระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฎเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หั The implication of these was that the princes born to the same mother as Prince Vajiravhud (Queen Saovabha) thus had higher claim to the throne than other princes. Vajiravudh ( January 1, 1881 &ndash November 25, 1925) ( Rama VI, reigning title Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua; พระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฎเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หั Queen Saovabha (สมเด็จพระนางเจ้า เสาวภาผ่องศรีพระบรมราชินีนาถ was a half-sister and queen This was what took place on the death of King Vajiravhud — the crown was passed to his youngest brother, Prince Prajadhipok. Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 -

Offering the throne to Prince Prajadhipok was not without a debate. Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 - In doing so, another strong candidate was bypassed: Prince Chulachakrapongse, son of the late Field Marshal Prince Chakrapongsepoovanat of Phitsanulok, who before his death had been the heir-apparent to King Vajiravhud. Vajiravudh ( January 1, 1881 &ndash November 25, 1925) ( Rama VI, reigning title Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua; พระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฎเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หั It was questioned whether the Succession Law enacted by King Vajiravhud actually barred Prince Chakrapongsepoovanat (and for that matter, Prince Chulachakrapongse) from succession on the ground that he married a foreigner (Russian). However, his marriage took place before this law was enacted and had been endorsed by King Chulalongkorn himself. There was no clear resolution, but in the end the young nephew was passed over and Prince Prajadhipok was enthroned.

When King Prajadhipok later abdicated, since he was the last remaining son of Queen Sri Pacharindra, the crown went back to the sons of the Queen whose rank was next to hers: Queen Savang Vadhana, mother of the late Crown Prince Vajirunahis. Savang Vadhana of Thailand (also known as Queen Sri Savarindira born 10 September, 1862 as Princess Savang Vadhana (พระเจ้าลูกเธอ พระองค์เจ้าสว่างวัฒนา Besides the late Crown Prince, she had two more sons who survived to adulthood: Prince Sommootiwongwarothai of Nakhon Si Thammarat, who had died without a son, and Prince Mahidol who, although deceased, had two living sons. Nakhon Si Thammarat (often in short Nakhon, นครศรีธรรมราช is one of the southern provinces ( changwat) of Thailand, It thus appeared that Prince Ananda Mahidol would be the first person in line of royal succession.

Nevertheless, the same debate over the half-foreign Prince Chulachakrapongse occurred again. It was argued that King Vajiravhud had virtually exempted the Prince's father from the ban in the Succession Law, and the crown might thus be passed to him.

Since the kingdom was now governed under a constitution, it was the Cabinet who would decide. Opinion was split on the right to succession of Prince Chulachakrapongse. A key figure was Pridi Phanomyong, who persuaded the Cabinet that the Law should be interpreted as excluding the Prince from succession, and that Prince Ananda Mahidol should be the next king. Luang Pridi Phanomyong, (born Nai Pridi Phanomyong ปรีดี พนมยงค์ 陳嘉祥 or 陳璋茂 May 11, 1900 – It also appeared to be convenient for the government as well to have a monarch who was only 9 years old and was attending school in Lausanne, Switzerland. Lausanne ( pronounced, Losanna is a city in Romandy, the French -speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation On March 2, 1935 Prince Ananda Mahidol was elected by the Thai parliament and government to succeed his uncle, King Prajadhipok. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 -

Life as King

As the new King was still a child and was then studying in Switzerland, the parliament appointed Colonel Prince Anuwatjaturong, Lieutenant Commander Prince Artit Thip-apa, and Chao Phraya Yommaraj (Pun Sukhum) as his regents. HSH Prince Aditya Dibabha Abhakara ( July 24 1904 - May 19 1946) was a member of the Thai Royal Family and a Siamese political figure Thai royal and noble titles signify relationship to the King The system is somewhat complicated and usually not well understood even by most Thai people

In 1938, at age 13, Ananda Mahidol visited the Kingdom of Siam for the first time as monarch. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was accompanied during his visit by his mother and his younger brother Bhumibol Adulyadej. Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช pʰuːmipʰon adunjadeːt Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;) (born Monday 5 December 1927 Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram was the Prime Minister at this time and during most of Ananda Mahidol's reign. Field Marshal Luang Plaek Pibulsonggram ( Thai: แปลก พิบูลสงคราม or ป Pibulsonggram was a military dictator and, in 1939, he arranged to change the name of the country from Siam to Thailand. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Thailand was a formal ally of the Empire of Japan from 24 January 1942 and a member of the Axis. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries

By 1944, it was becoming apparent that the Japanese were going to lose the war. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bangkok suffered heavily from the Allied bombing raids. Strategic bombing is a Military strategy used in a Total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability to wage war rather This, plus economic hardship, made both the war and the regime of Plaek Pibulsonggram very unpopular. In July, Plaek Pibulsonggram was ousted by the Seri Thai-infiltrated government. Events in July The traditional period known as "fence month" (the closed season for deer in England ended July 9 (date varied The Free Thai Movement (ขบวนการเสรีไทย Khabuankarn Seri Thai was an underground resistance movement against Japan during World War II The National Assembly reconvened and appointed the liberal lawyer Khuang Aphaiwong as Prime Minister. Liberalism is a broad array of related ideas and theories of Government that consider individual Liberty to be the most important political goal Major Luang Khuang Abhaiwongse ( May 17 1902 - March 15 1968; Thai ควง อภัยวงศ์ was three times The Japanese surrendered on 15 August 1945. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The Allied military responsibility for Thailand fell to the British.

Only after the end of World War II did Ananda Mahidol return to Thailand. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including He returned for a second visit in December 1945 with a degree in Law. Despite his youth and inexperience, he quickly won the hearts of the Thai people, who had continued to revere the monarchy through the upheavals of the 1930s and 1940s. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was a handsome young man and Thais were delighted to have their King amongst them once again. One of his well-remembered activities was a highly successful visit to Bangkok's Chinatown, which was calculated to defuse the post-war tensions that lingered between the ethnic Chinese and the Thais. Bangkok 's Chinatown is located on Yaowarat Road (เยาวราช in Samphanthawong district

Foreign observers, however, believed that Ananda Mahidol did not really want to be King and felt his reign would not last long. Louis Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the British commander in South-East Asia, visited Bangkok in January 1946 and described the King as "a frightened, short-sighted boy, his sloping shoulders and thin chest behung with gorgeous diamond-studded decorations, altogether a pathetic and lonely figure. Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, " At a public function, Mountbatten wrote, "his nervousness increased to such an alarming extent, that I came very close to support him in case he passed out. "

A mysterious death

On June 9, 1946, the King was found shot dead in his bedroom in the Grand Palace, only four days before he was scheduled to return to Switzerland to finish his doctoral degree in Law at the University of Lausanne. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Grand Palace (พระบรมมหาราชวัง Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. His brother Bhumibol Adulyadej succeeded him. Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช pʰuːmipʰon adunjadeːt Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;) (born Monday 5 December 1927 Ananda Mahidol was never crowned as king, but his brother posthumously gave him the full royal title of the ninefold umbrella.

Events of 9 June 1946

Keith Simpson, pathologist to the British Home Office and founding chairman of the Department of Forensic Medicine at Guy's Hospital in London, performed a forensic analysis of the King's death and recounted the following sequence of events on the morning of 9 June 1946:[1]

King Ananda was woken by his mother at 6am. Professor Cedric Keith Simpson, CBE, FRCP, ( July 20, 1907 – July 21, 1985) was an eminent British Pathologist The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for security and order Guy's Hospital is a large NHS Hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

At 7. 30am, his page But Pathamasarin came on duty and began preparing a breakfast table on a balcony adjoining the king's dressing room. A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant. The medieval page In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a Knight

At 8. 30, But saw the king standing in his dressing room. He brought the king his customary glass of orange juice a few minutes later. However, by then the king had gone back to bed and refused the juice.

At 8. 45am, the king's other page Chit Singhaseni appeared, saying that he had been called to measure the King's medals and decorations on behalf of a jeweller who was making a case for them.

At 9am, Prince Bhumibol visited King Ananda. Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช pʰuːmipʰon adunjadeːt Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;) (born Monday 5 December 1927 He said afterwards that he had found the king dozing in his bed.

At 9. 20am, a single shot rang out from the king's bedroom. Chit ran in and then ran out along the corridor to the apartment of the king's mother, crying "The King has shot himself!"

The king's mother followed Chit into the king's bedroom and found the king lying face up in bed, bloodied from a wound to the head.

Aftermath

An initial radio announcement on 9 June surmised that the King was accidentally killed while toying with his pistol. [2]

In October 1946, a Commission of Inquiry reported that the King's death could not have been accidental, but that neither suicide nor murder was satisfactorily proved.

In November 1947, Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram staged a coup against the elected government and ordered a trial. Field Marshal Luang Plaek Pibulsonggram ( Thai: แปลก พิบูลสงคราม or ป King Ananda's secretary, Senator Chaleo Patoomros, and the pages, But and Chit, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to kill the King.

The trial began in August 1948. The prosecution's case was supported by 124 witnesses and such voluminous documentary evidence that the defense counsel asked for an adjournment to give them time to consider it. When this was refused the counsel resigned, and new counsel were found. Later, two of the defense counsel were arrested and charged with treason. Of the remaining two, one resigned, leaving only a single young lawyer for the defence, Fak Na Songkhla. Towards the end of the case, he was joined by Chaleo Patoomros's daughter, who had just graduated.

The trial ended in May 1951. The court found that King Ananda had been assassinated, but that Chaleo had not been proved guilty and that neither of the pages could have fired the fatal shot. However, they found Chit guilty of being a party to the crime. The charges against Chaleo and But were dismissed and the two released.

Chit appealed his conviction, and the prosecution appealed against the acquittal of Chaleo and But. After fifteen months of deliberation, the Appeal Court dismissed Chit's appeal, and undeterred by the legal doctrine of double jeopardy found But guilty also. Double jeopardy (non bis in idem is a Procedural defense (and in many countries such as the United States, Canada, Mexico and India

Chit and But appealed to the Supreme Court, which deliberated for ten more months before finally upholding both convictions, and this time convicting Chaleo as well.

In February 1955, Chaleo Patoomros and the two pages were executed by Pibulsonggram's government on charges of conspiracy to kill the King. Today it is acknowledged that the charges against the men were baseless.

Alternative explanations of the death

The King's death is still a mystery. Since this subject is never openly discussed in Thailand, the best current account is in William Stevenson's The Revolutionary King, written with the co-operation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. William Stevenson (born 1925) is a British-born Canadian author and journalist Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช pʰuːmipʰon adunjadeːt Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;) (born Monday 5 December 1927 This account exculpates those executed and suggests that Ananda Mahidol was murdered by Tsuji Masanobu, a former Japanese intelligence officer who had been active in Thailand during the war. was a tactician of the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War and later a politician

It is clear from Stevenson's account that Ananda Mahidol cannot have killed himself, either by suicide (as is sometimes suggested) or accidentally. He was found lying on his back in his bed, not wearing his glasses, without which he was almost blind. He had a small bullet wound in his forehead and a somewhat larger exit wound in the back of his head. His pistol, a Colt .45 given to him as a gift by a former US Army officer, was not nearby. The M1911 is a single-action, Semi-automatic pistol ( Handgun) chambered for the. The Colt . 45 is not a prone to accidental discharge; it will fire only if considerable pressure is applied to the safety plate at the back of the butt at the same time as the trigger is depressed. The Colt is also a heavy pistol and difficult to use by a person without training. It would have been virtually impossible for Ananda Mahidol, a frail 20-year-old, to lie on his back and shoot himself in the forehead with such a pistol. If he had done so, the impact would have blown his skull apart, not caused the small wound seen by many witnesses. Stevenson writes that no cartridge case was found, and subsequent inquiries ordered by King Bhumibol, but suppressed by later governments, found that the Colt had not been fired.

Dr. Keith Simpson, a forensic pathologist who investigated the King's death found it highly unlikely that the death was due to suicide,[1] noting that:

If Ananda Mahidol did not kill himself, he must have been murdered. It must therefore be asked who stood to benefit from his death. The most obvious beneficiary was his brother Bhumibol, who was next in line to the throne. The possibility that the current King murdered his brother is so shocking as to be unthinkable, let alone mentionable, in modern Thailand, but it was commonly rumored during the 1950s; and the rumor continues to this day. Bhumibol, together with his mother Srinagarindra, left the country for Switzerland two months after his brother's death, not to return until 1950. Srinagarindra (ศรีนครินทรา ( 21 October 1900 – 18 July 1995) (pronounced See-nakarin was the late Princess

However, the possibility of Bhumibol's guilt might be dismissed on several grounds. First, if, as seems clear, the King's own pistol was not the murder weapon, Bhumibol would have had to obtain and use another weapon, then successfully conceal it in the few seconds before other witnesses arrived on the scene. Secondly, all accounts agree that Bhumibol was summoned to the King's bedchamber by their mother, who was first on the scene. Third, Ananda Mahidol and Bhumibol were very close, and according to Stevenson, Bhumibol had absolutely no desire to be King.

Based on the aforementioned, some suggest that the King's murderer must have come from outside the Royal Palace. Here there is no shortage of suspects. Thai politics at this time was dominated by two figures who had led the 1932 revolution against the absolute monarchy, but who had subsequently fallen out. These were Field Marshal Pibulsonggram, who had been the pro-Japanese dictator of Thailand during World War II, but who in 1946 was seeking to rehabilitate himself as a client of the United States, and Pridi Phanomyong, a left-wing civilian politician who had been an underground leader during the war and was regarded as a supporter of British interests. Field Marshal Luang Plaek Pibulsonggram ( Thai: แปลก พิบูลสงคราม or ป The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Luang Pridi Phanomyong, (born Nai Pridi Phanomyong ปรีดี พนมยงค์ 陳嘉祥 or 陳璋茂 May 11, 1900 – At the time of the King's death, Pridi was Prime Minister, and Britain and the U. S. were conducting a clandestine battle for influence in postwar Thailand.

The role of the monarchy was of central importance to Thai politics, and the virtual vacancy of the throne which had existed since 1932 had been of great value to Pibulsonggram's wartime regime. It is possible that he saw the re-emergence of a strong monarchy under King Ananda Mahidol as a threat to his prospects of returning to power under U. S. patronage. It is therefore plausible that Pibulsonggram could have used the Japanese officer Tsuji Masanobu, who had avoided war crimes prosecution by making himself useful to the Americans, as his agent to bring about the King's death in the hope that Bhumibol would be a more pliant King. A royal murder also served to discredit Pridi's government, to Pibulsonggram's benefit.

Alternatively, it is possible, though much less likely, that Pridi saw the re-establishment of a strong monarchy as a threat to his hopes of establishing a socialist government in Thailand. Although he was not a communist, Pridi was sympathetic to the Chinese Communists, and later lived for a time in exile in the People's Republic of China. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Since Britain had a Labour government at this time, Pridi saw no contradiction between his left-wing policies and his role as a British agent. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Killing the King, according to this theory, would weaken the monarchy and make a left-wing revolution easier. In the Cold War atmosphere of the 1950s, Pridi was widely named as the man behind the King's death. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the According to William Stevenson, King Bhumibol has said that he does not believe that Pridi was involved in the apparent murder.

Given that it is over 60 years since Ananda Mahidol's murder, it seems unlikely that it will be solved. It is possible, however, that King Bhumibol, the only surviving witness to these events, knows the full truth and that this will be revealed after his death.

Another theory, regarding Ananda Mahidol's mysterious death as suicide, was explored by journalist Rayne Kruger in his book, The Devil's Discus (Cassell & Co. The Devil's Discuss is an investigation into the death of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII of Siam (later Thailand) by English - South , Ltd. [London]. 1964). The book is banned in Thailand. However, a website by a Thai writer has provided a summary of Kruger's arguments, and it links to other material about this still puzzling event.

In memoriam

Figure 1 1959

Figure 2 2002

Figure 3 2003

Figure 4 detail from Fig. 3

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Keith Simpson. The history of Thailand from 1932 to 1973 was dominated by Military dictatorships which were in power for much of the period The Japanese Invasion of Thailand occurred on December 8, 1941. The Free Thai Movement (ขบวนการเสรีไทย Khabuankarn Seri Thai was an underground resistance movement against Japan during World War II Forty Years of Murder: an Autobiography, Chapter 13: The Violent Death of King Ananda of Siam, Harrap, 1978.
  2. ^ Hua Hin Tourist Information, Biography of King Ananda Mahidol

External links

Ananda Mahidol
Born: 20 September 1925 Died: 9 June 1946
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Prajadhipok		 King of Siam
1935-1939		 None
Country name changed to "Thailand"
New title King of Thailand
1939–1946		 Succeeded by
Bhumibol Adulyadej

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The Chakri dynasty has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Ratthanakosin era in 1782 following the end of Taksin of Thonburi 's reign when the Prajadhipok ( Rama VII, พระปกเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua) ( November 8, 1893 - The Chakri dynasty has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Ratthanakosin era in 1782 following the end of Taksin of Thonburi 's reign when the Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Chakri dynasty has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Ratthanakosin era in 1782 following the end of Taksin of Thonburi 's reign when the Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bhumibol Adulyadej (ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช pʰuːmipʰon adunjadeːt Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;) (born Monday 5 December 1927
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