Phibun

ModernGeneralThailand1897 — 1964

Thai military dictator who allied with Japan during WWII.

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Quick Facts

Born

1897

Died

1964

Country

Thailand

Era

Modern

Occupation

General

Score Overview

Military (10%)48

Political (20%)48

Influence (20%)58

Legacy (20%)45

Leadership (15%)71

Strategy (15%)42

Total Score52.5

Phibun — Complete Timeline

1938 AD

Led a coup to become Prime MinisterPolitical Action◆ Major

Phibun (Plaek Phibunsongkhram) became Prime Minister of Thailand after a coup that ousted the previous government. He established a military dictatorship and promoted Thai nationalism.

CoupDictatorshipNationalism

Impact: national

1939 AD

Renamed Siam to ThailandPolitical Action◆ Major

Phibun officially changed the country's name from Siam to Thailand (Prathet Thai), meaning 'Land of the Free'. This was part of his nationalist campaign to unify the Thai people and assert national identity.

NationalismName ChangeIdentity

Impact: nationalconstructive

1941 AD

Allied with Japan during World War IIWar◆ Major

Phibun allied Thailand with Japan after the Japanese invasion of Thailand in December 1941. He declared war on the Allies and allowed Japanese forces to use Thai territory for their campaigns in Southeast Asia.

World War IIAllianceJapan

Impact: regionaldestructive

1944 AD

Resigned after World War IIPolitical Action

Phibun resigned as Prime Minister in 1944 as the tide of war turned against Japan. He was replaced by a civilian government, but he remained influential and later returned to power.

ResignationPost-warPolitical Change

Impact: national

1948 AD

Returned to power in a coupPolitical Action◆ Major

Phibun returned to power through a military coup in 1948, overthrowing the civilian government. He ruled as a military dictator until 1957, aligning Thailand with the United States during the Cold War.

CoupCold WarDictatorship

Impact: national