Tiang Sirikhanth

Tiang Sirikhanth (December 5 1909 - December 12, 1952) was a Thai politician and a Seri Thai resistance leader during World War II.

Early life

Tiang was born to a merchant family in Sakon Nakhon province in the northeast of Thailand. He graduated in science from Chulalongkorn University 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. Though the Thai military initially resisted, Prime Minister Phibun ordered a cease fire that same day and allowed the Japanese to occupy Bangkok. Phibun would later go as far as to make a formal alliance with Japan.

Tiang and others who opposed the Japanese met with Pridi Phanomyong on the night of December 8 to discuss forming a resistance movement. This would eventually develop into the Free Thai Movement.

Tiang organised the largest Free Thai guerrilla training operation near his hometown in Sakorn Nakorn, with support from British Force 136. His code name with the British was Pluto.

Post war and murder

Following the war, Tiang served as a cabinet minister in several democratic governments.

A staunch opponent of the Pibulsongkram 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 Sriyanond. Their buried remains were discovered in Kanchanaburi provice many years later.

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/thailandwwii/Tiang.html Tiang Sirikhanth on the Thailand in WWII site]