King's Own Coup?

In Bangkok, Siamese leaders of what the world press had been calling a "revolution" or at the very least a "coup d'etat angrily denied last week that it was either.

"The People's Party is completely and sincerely loyal to His Majesty King Prajadhipok," they declared. "The People's Party is composed of military and government officials. The People's Party's chief aim is a constitutional monarchy."

That such was and is also the chief aim of King Prajadhipok himself His Majesty made clear during his visit to the I last year in an historic statement to the press. Paradoxically, though favoring constitutional monarchy, he has remained an absolute monarch because of the reactionary power, wealth and sheer numbers of other members of the Siamese royal family. In Bangkok the sprightly, progressive little King was strongly suspected of encouraging the People's Party to oust his relatives from the enormous number of soft, well-paid jobs they held in Siam's Government. Every member of the Cabinet, for example, was a Prince!

What happened was that, while slim King Prajadhipok and curvesome Queen Rambai Barni were disporting themselves at their seaside palace of Huahin last week, Siamese officers suddenly pounced on other members of the royal family and locked them up for the night in His Majesty's marble and uncomfortable Throne Hall. One of Siam's war boats was sent to the King, bearing what His Majesty chose to call an "ultimatum" and at once "graciously accepted" adding "what the People's Party have done is quite right!" Boarding a special train, the King & Queen returned amid cheers to Bangkok. Everyone seemed pleased except members of the royal family who had spent the night on marble slabs.

Easy-going, the People's Party and King Prajadhipok took their time about getting ready to draft a constitution which will probably leave His Majesty with vastly greater powers than are possessed by King George.

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