Tiang Sirikhanth (; ; December 5, 1909 – December 12, 1952) was a Thai politician and a Seri Thai resistance leader during

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 ...

Early life

Tiang was born to a merchant family in

Sakon Nakhon Sakon Nakhon (, ; sometimes written Sakhon Nakhon) is a city (thesaban nakhon) in Thailand within the Isan region, and capital city of Sakon Nakhon Province as well as Mueang Sakon Nakhon District, with a population of approximately 76,000. Sako ...

province in the northeast of Thailand. His name literally means "bed". He graduated in arts from

Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University (CU; ; , ) is a public university, public Autonomous university, autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally founded during King Chulalongkorn's reign as a school for training ro ...

in 1930 and became a secondary school teacher in Bangkok. He then accepted the position of headmaster at a school in his home province. Tiang was elected to the National Assembly in 1940 and would represent his province until his death.

The Free Thai Movement

On the morning of December 8, 1941 Japanese forces invaded Thailand at numerous points along the seacoast and from

French Indo-China French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China), officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954. It was initial ...

. The Thai army and air force resisted, but were taking heavy casualties against the veteran Japanese units. Prime Minister

Phibun Plaek Phibunsongkhram; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964) was a Thai military officer and politician who served as the third prime minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957. He rose to power as a leading member of the Kha ...

panicked and ordered a cease fire the same day. He allowed the Japanese to occupy Bangkok unopposed and to invade British Malaya from southern Thailand. After Singapore fell to the invaders, Phibun went so far as to make a formal alliance with Japan. Tiang and others opposed to the Japanese met with the Regent,

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

, on the night of December 8 to discuss forming a resistance movement. This would eventually develop into the "Seri Thai", the

Free Thai Movement The Free Thai Movement (, , ) was a Thai underground resistance movement against the Empire of Japan during the Second World War. The Free Thai Movement were an important source of military intelligence for the Allies in the region. Background ...

. Tiang organised the largest Seri Thai guerrilla training operation near his hometown in Sakorn Nakorn, with military support from British

Force 136 Force 136 was a far eastern branch of the British World War II intelligence organisation, the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Originally set up in 1941 as the India Mission with the cover name of GSI(k), it absorbed what was left of SOE's O ...

. His British code name was Pluto.

Post war and murder

Following the war, Tiang served as a cabinet minister in several democratic governments. Along with his friend and political ally Khrong Chandawong, Sirikhanth was one of the most prominent left-wing Thai political leaders in the post-war era, earning the nickname of "General of Phu Phan."Blake, David John Humphre
Irrigationalism - the politics and ideology of irrigation development in the Nam Songkhram Basin, Northeast Thailand
/ref> A staunch opponent of the Phibun dictatorship, which had staged a coup against the elected government, Tiang and four associates were arrested and murdered by the police under orders of Phibun's ruthless ally,

Phao Siyanon General Phao Siyanon (, also spelled Sriyanond and Sriyanon; 1 March 1910 – 21 November 1960) was a director general of the Royal Thai Police, notorious for his brutal crackdowns on political opponents. He eventually fled Thailand and died in e ...

. Their buried remains were discovered in Kanchanaburi province many years later.

References

External links

Tiang Sirikhanth on the Thailand in WWII site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sirikhanth, Tiang 1909 births 1952 deaths Tiang Sirikhanth Tiang Sirikhanth Tiang Sirikhanth Tiang Sirikhanth Tiang Sirikhanth Tiang Sirikhanth Tiang Sirikhanth Tiang Sirikhanth Politicians assassinated in the 1950s