Incident of Bangkok Era 130
The radicals sternly expected that constitution upon the coronation of Vajiravudh. However, no constitution came. In 1911, the Wuchang Uprising that led to the fall of Qing dynasty was a strong urge for Siamese radicals to act. So, for the first time, an attempt to overthrow the monarchy and establish the democracy happened in Siam.
The immediate cause, however, was laid even before Vajiravudh’s coronation. In 1909, Crown Prince Vajiravudh had ordered a Thai Royal Military Academy’s student who had had an argument with one of Vajiravudh’s pages to be canned. The alumni of the Academy, who had already been stationed throughout the kingdom, was provoked further by Vajiravudh’s establishment of the Wild Tiger Corps, which was seen as Vajiravudh’s personal troops to replace the military.
The plotters were, however, relatively young army and navy officials, who was also the students in the 1909 event. The coup was planned to be staged on 1 April – Siamese traditional New Years Day. They also planned to choose one of Vajiravudh’s brothers as the first President of Siam. They also viewed that, if the absolute monarchy had been removed, Siam would achieve modernization like those of Japan. The coup leaders accused the King of devoting his time to writing plays and acting in them with his companions. They also accused him of living a luxurious life in western style; building Sanam Chan Palace and Lumphini Park, and owning expensive horses from Australia, while preaching to his subjects to be austere and nationalistic.
However, the coup plan was leaked. Captain Yut Kongyu, who was selected as the assassin by lottery, told Mom Chao Prawatpan – and then Prince Chakrabongse - about the upcoming coup. Prince Chakrabongse personally led the arrest of all conspirators and their punishments were severe – including executions to long-term imprisonment. However, Vajiravudh halted the punishment and released them all saying that what they did was for the sake of the kingdom.
Read more about this topic: Vajiravudh
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