1959 Charter
On the evening of 16 September 1957, General Sarit Dhanarajata seized power from the government of Marshal Plaek (for additional information on the King's role in the coup, see Bhumibol Adulyadej's role in Thai politics). Sarit abrogated the 1952 Constitution, abolished the National Assembly, declared martial law, and ruled via a Revolutionary Council. Sarit and his successors deified the throne and relied on royal sponsorship to legitimize their dictatorship.
A temporary charter was promulgated in February 1959 and remained in place for 9 years, even after Sarit's death in 1964. The charter has been called "perhaps the most repressive in Thailand’s history." It granted the Premier near absolute power, including the authority to order summary executions. It banned political parties and called for an appointed unicameral parliament, consisting of 240 mostly military appointees. It contained only 20 articles, making it the shortest charter in Thai history.
Read more about this topic: Constitution Of Thailand
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