Major-General Luang Wichitwathakan (also known as just Wichit Wichitwathakan) (; zh, 金良) (11 August 189831 March 1962) was a Thai politician, diplomat, historian, novelist, and playwright. He is credited with changing the name of the country from Siam to

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

. Luang Wichitwathakan was prominently engaged in politics and the modernization of Thailand and was in his time the most important figure in the establishment of Thai nationalism and Thai identity. He was the chief ideologue and creator of cultural campaigns during the pre-

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

military rule of Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram.

Early life

Wichitwathakan was born Kim Liang (Chinese: 金良), the son of a merchant in

Uthai Thani province Uthai Thani (, ), one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat'') lies in lower northern Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi and Tak. It lies somewhat off th ...

. According to a cousin, Wichitwathakan's paternal grandfather was Chinese. He received his primary education in a Buddhist temple school in Uthai Thani and continued the Buddhist education at Wat Mahathat in Bangkok where he excelled in Buddhist studies, graduating first in the kingdom. As a result, he received the certificate from

King Vajiravudh Vajiravudh (1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama VI. He reigned from 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts to create and promote Siamese nationa ...

. While still a monk in Wat Mahatat, Wichitwathakan's extensive writings were circulated among the monks. The papers were written in English, French, or German and were sometimes inflammatory regarding temple rules and regulations. The abbot put a stop to it by prohibiting the use of Western languages. At the age of 20, Wichitwathakan left the monkhood and joined the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

as a junior clerk in 1918.

Service in France

In 1921, Wichitwathakan was posted to the Royal Siamese

Legation A legation was a diplomatic representative office of lower rank than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an ambassador, a legation was headed by a minister. Ambassadors outranked ministers and had precedence at official events. Legation ...

(equivalent to present-day

embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a Sovereign state, state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase ...

) in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, as Third Secretary. During his five years in Europe, Wichitwathakan served as a member of the Siamese delegation that attended and participated in deliberations of the

League of Nations The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

. He also studied law and political science at the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

. It was in Paris that he developed close friendships with the future revolutionaries,

Pridi Phanomyong Pridi Banomyong (, , ; 11 May 1900 – 2 May 1983), also known by his noble title Thai_nobility#Noble_titles, Luang Praditmanutham (), was a Thai lawyer, professor, activist, politician, and senior statesman. He served in multiple ministerial p ...

, also studying Law at Sorbonne, and Plaek Pibulsongkram, a military officer studying

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

in France.

Marriages

While in Paris, Wichitwathakan took French lessons from Lucienne Laffitte (née Guillaume), a cultivated French lady who was well-read and musically gifted. They subsequently married and together returned to Siam in 1927. While Wichitwathakan continued to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Madame Lucienne collaborated with him in several of his important historical publications, notably ''Prawatsart Sakon'' (Universal History). Despite this creative partnership and the births of a son and a daughter, the marriage dissolved six years later and Madame Lucienne returned to France with her two children. Luang Wichitwathakan subsequently married Prapapan Raphiphan, a teacher of history and daughter of Khun Vorasarndarunkit who was in charge of education in northern Siam under King Rama V.

Revolutionary role

When Pridi Phanomyong started the clandestine party called Khana Ratsadon (People's Party), he consulted with Thai friends in Paris, namely Field Marshal Pibulsongkram, Wichitwathakan, Prayoon Pamornmontri, and Thatsanai Mitraphakdi. Pridi specifically asked Wichitwathakan to join this secret association, whose purpose was to overthrow the absolute monarchy. Wichitwathakan at this point still maintained loyalty to King Prajadhipok and was in favor of a conciliatory approach with the monarchy. Concerned about the

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

ic and

communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

ideology An ideology is a set of beliefs or values attributed to a person or group of persons, especially those held for reasons that are not purely about belief in certain knowledge, in which "practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones". Form ...

of Pridi, Wichitwathakan formed a royalist and free enterprise party called Kana Chart (National Party) while continuing to attend the clandestine meetings of the Khana Ratsadon Party. After his return to Siam, Wichitwathakan met again with Pridi and Pibulsongkram, but did not participate in the revolution against King Prajadhipok in 1932. When King Prajadhipok indicated his willingness to support the armed royalist challenge to the People's Party and gave his blessing to Prince Bovoradej to mobilize his soldiers and attack Bangkok in 1933, Wichitwathakan forsook his loyalty to the king to align himself with the representative government as a member of the national assembly. Wichitwathakan was chairman of the committee which proposed changing the country's name from Siam to Thailand at the state convention in 1939. He led an

irredentist Irredentism () is one state's desire to annex the territory of another state. This desire can be motivated by ethnic reasons because the population of the territory is ethnically similar to or the same as the population of the parent state. Hist ...

campaign after being presented a map produced by Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient showing the Thai race inhabiting the areas of Siam,

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

, and southern China. Wichitwathakan estimated from this map that there were approximately 60 million Thais inhabiting the lands of southern China and

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

, and through his personal crusade as both a historian and a politician, as well as chairman of the parliamentary committee in charge of making the name change, succeeded in changing the name of the country from Siam to Thailand when the state convention ratified the committee's proposal in 1939.

Wartime service

In 1942, Wichitwathakan became Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Field Marshal Pibulsongkram and was responsible for negotiating free passage for the invading Japanese army in exchange for maintaining the sovereignty and independence of Thailand. He then assumed the duty of Thai Ambassador to

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Upon the unconditional surrender of Japan to the Allies at the end of World War II, Wichitwathakan was arrested by the US occupying forces along with the German ambassador, Italian ambassador, and the entire Japanese cabinet. His wife, Khunying Wichitwathakan, requested and obtained a personal audience with General

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...

during which she succeeded in explaining to him that as foreign minister, her husband had no alternative but to negotiate a treaty of free passage in exchange for maintaining the independence of Thailand. MacArthur released Wichitwathakan and allowed him to return to Thailand on an American airplane. Wichitwathakan was arrested upon arrival and imprisoned by the new postwar government of Khuang Aphaiwong. He was incarcerated with former prime minister Pibulsongkram, to be tried in Thai court as war criminals. Among the principal allied forces, the British and the French wanted Pibulsongkram and Wichitwathakan to face the firing squad while the US alone insisted on a trial. All charges against them were eventually dropped for lack of corroborating evidence. Field Marshal Pibulsongkram and Luang Wichitwathakan were acquitted of all political accusations and released.

Post-war service

After having been granted freedom, Wichitwathakan temporarily dissociated himself from politics and became a nationally prominent playwright, author, and historian. Most of his plays, songs, fictions as well as history and religious books were composed during the three years following his release from incarceration. In 1947, Wichitwathakan assisted Field Marshal Pibulsongkram in staging a coup d'état which toppled the existing government from power. Wichitwathakan served in the new government as Minister of Finance and Minister of Economic Affairs and subsequently became Ambassador to

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

in 1952 and Ambassador to

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, and

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

in 1953. He also promoted the unification and nationalism of the people of Thailand by composing a series of nationalistic theatrical works, known as the ''Anupap'' series, which were performed at the National Theater. This series of plays, titled ''Anupap Porkoon Ramkamhaeng'' (Power of King Ramkamhaeng), ''Anupap Haeng Kwam Seasala'' (Power of Sacrifice), ''Anupap Haeng Kwam Rak'' (Power of Love) were composed at the urging of Pibulsongkram with the purpose of strengthening the unity and cohesiveness of the Thai people. In 1958, Luang Wichitwathakan participated in the coup d'état staged by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat that removed Pibulsongkram from power. Wichitwathakan assumed the title of Paladbunchagarn () of the Prime Minister's Office, equivalent to the Assistant to the Prime Minister. He served Field Marshal Sarit as his closest confidant and advisor and played an active role in promoting Thai nationalism.

Died

Wichitwathakan died in 1962 at age 63 after a long cardiac illness.

Published works

Plays

* Leod Supan (Blood of Supan) * Rachamanu * Suek Talang (Battle of Talang * Pra jao Krung Thon (King of Thonburi) * Tai Dab Na (Death at next Sword) * Po Kun Pa Mueng (King Pa Mueng) * Petch Pra Narai (Diamond of King Narai * Lan Leod Lan Rug (Territory of Blood Territory of Love) * Sriharajdecho * Dab Saen Mueng (Sword of a Hundred Thousand Cities) * Pra Naresuan Pragard Issarapap (King Naresuan Declares Independence) * Rachatida Pra Ruang (Royal Daughter of Pra Ruang) * Jao Ying Gannigar (Princess Gannigar) * Jao Ying Sanwee (Princess Sanwee) * Krut Dum (Black Garuda) * Anupap Po Kun Ramkamhang (Power of King Ramkamhang) * Anupap hang Kwam Rug (Power of Love) * Anupap Hang Kwam Seasara (Power of Sacrifice)

Fiction

* Pan Tong Rong Leod (Golden Receptacle for Blood) * Dok Fa Jampasak (Celestial Flower of Jampasak) * Ballang Chieng Rung (Throne of Chieng Rung) * Morasum Hang Cheevit (Tempest of Life) * Petch Pra Narai (Diamond of King Narai) * Plee Cheep Pue Choo (Sacrificing Life for Lover) * Huang Rug Hav Luek (Bond of Love Deep Crevice) * Fak Fa Salawin (Horizon of Salawin) * Athit Asadong (Western Sunset) * Lek Lang Kan (Iron for Vengeance)

Non-Fiction

* Mun Samong (Brain) * Puttanupap (Power of Buddhism) * Jittanupap (Power of Mind) * Manusapatiwat (Human Revolution) * Mahaburus (Great Men) * Kong Dee Nai India (Good things in India) * Vicha Paed Pragarn (Eight Sources of Knowledge) * Vicha Krong Ruen Krong Rug (Science of Domesticity and Love) * Vitee Tam Ngarn lae Srang Anakot (Way to Work and Build Future) * Anakot kong Chart (Future of Nation) * Sangsawang Nai Kwam Mued (Brightness in The dark) * Sassana Sagol (Universal religion) * Prawatsart Sagol (Universal History) * Watanatum Sukothai (Civilization of Sukothai) * Kwam Fun (Dream)

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wichitwathakan, Luang 20th-century Thai historians Thai politicians Thai nationalists Thai diplomats Thai generals Luang (nobility) Members of the 1st House of Representatives of Thailand Members of the 2nd House of Representatives of Thailand Members of the 3rd House of Representatives of Thailand Members of the 4th House of Representatives of Thailand Members of the 5th House of Representatives of Thailand Members of the 6th House of Representatives of Thailand Ministers of foreign affairs of Thailand Ministers of commerce of Thailand Ministers of finance of Thailand Academic staff of Chulalongkorn University Academic staff of Thammasat University Ambassadors of Thailand to India Ambassadors of Thailand to Japan Ambassadors of Thailand to Switzerland Ambassadors of Thailand to Austria Ambassadors of Thailand to Yugoslavia People from Uthai Thani province Thai politicians of Chinese descent Thai collaborators with Imperial Japan University of Paris alumni 1898 births 1962 deaths Thai fascists