Sarit Thanarat Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat ( Thai : สฤษดิ์ ธนะรัชต์ , alternatively spelled " Dhanarajata " ) , ( June 16 , 1908 – December 8 , 1963 ) was a Thai career soldier who staged a coup in 1957 , thereafter serving as Thailand ' s Prime Minister until his death in 1963 . He was born in Bangkok , but grew up in his mother ' s home town in Lao - speaking northeastern Thailand and considered himself an Isan . His father , Major Luang Ruangdetanan ( birth name Thongdi Thanarat ) , was a career army officer best known for his translations into Thai of Cambodian literature . During his years as prime minister Sarit was a patron of his cousin , the Lao strongman General Phoumi Nosavan , against the communist Pathet Lao guerrilla s in the neighboring Kingdom of Laos . Military career . Sarit Thanarat was educated at a monastery school , and entered the Royal Thai Military Academy in 1919 , not completing his military studies until 1928 , after which he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant , rising through the Officer Corps . During World War II he served as commander of an infantry battalion and took part in the invasion and occupation of the Shan States in Burma . Unlike many of his fellow officers , Sarit was not discharged at the end of the war . Instead , he was promoted to command the 1st Infantry Regiment of the Bangkok - based Guards Division . As a colonel , he played a leading role in the 1947 military coup that overthrew the government of Prime Minister Thawal Thamrong Navaswadhi , a protege of Pridi Phanomyong , reinstalling the previously deposed Field Marshal Luang Pibunsongkram as premier . Sarit thereafter took a lasting interest in politics . He became Commander of the Royal Thai Army in 1954 . Sarit ' s coups . During the early 1950s , Pibunsongkhram ' s government had become increasingly corrupt , and the parliamentary election of 1957 was blatantly rigged to keep Pibunsongkhram in power . Public outrage and student protests , accompanied by the known displeasure of Thailand ' s king , led Sarit to stage a coup in September 1957 , but a serious deterioration of his health led Sarit to fly to the United States of America for treatment , leaving Deputy Prime Minister Thanom Kittikachorn in charge . However , economic troubles continued , and in October 1958 Sarit staged a second coup , intended to thwart the undisciplined politicians by imposing Martial law . Sarit felt that democracy had failed in Thailand and intended to rule according to " Thai ideologies " , not imported Western political theories , choosing as his model the supposedly benevolent despots of his country ' s past . Sarit ' s tenure . On October 19 , 1958 , Sarit informed his generals of his plans for a " revolution " . To no one ' s surprise , the following day he declared Martial law , silencing the experiments in open politics that had begun in 1955 , justifying his actions by arguing for a return to Thai traditions of social law and order . As prime minister , Sarit accelerated his country ' s economic development under a plan designed by the United States and the World Bank that promoted both market competition and private investment . He also created the National Economic and Social Development Board ( NESDB ) , which continues to play an important role in Thailand ' s economic development , exemplified in Sarit ' s favorite term ; " patana " ( development ) , and slogan ; " Nation , Religion , Monarch " , represented by red , white and blue colors respectively in the Thai flag . Nevertheless , though generally popular for its achievements , Sarit ' s regime was the most repressive and authoritarian in modern Thai history , abrogating the constitution , dissolving parliament , and vesting all power in his newly formed " Revolutionary Party " . Although he pledged to appoint a constituent assembly to act as a legislature and draft a constitution , no one doubted the body would merely rubber - stamp his orders . Eventually Sarit ' s constitution was promulgated but not until after his death . Sarit banned all other political parties , imposing very strict censorship of the press after the coup , his Revolutionary Party banning eighteen leftist and neutralist publications , and forbidding starting up of new opposition newspapers . Sarit ' s " revolution " brought an intense crackdown on " leftists " ; however , as genuine communists were rare in Thailand , it was the mildly socialist or neutralist professors , politicians and newspapers which bore the brunt of the suppression . Police arrested many dissidents and ethnic Chinese on the first day of the coup , followed by hundreds in the succeeding weeks . Among those arrested were Sang Phathanothai , Kulab Saipradit , Jit Phumisak , and Prasert Sapsunthorn . The Monarchy . Under Sarit , the public role of the Thai monarchy , which had been restricted by Phibun , was allowed to resume . Sarit arranged for King Bhumibol Adulyadej to attend public ceremonies , visit the provinces , patronise development projects and personally present diplomas to Thailand ' s government university graduates , helping to bring the monarchy closer to the people and raising the stature of the king to that of high reverence . The practice of prostrating with the head touching the ground before royal audiences , banned decades earlier by King Chulalongkorn , was reinstated in some circumstances . Sarit introduced a new generation of economically liberal technocrats to governing , encouraged private and foreign direct investment , launched major rural development projects , and rapidly expanded educational facilities , which , despite his despotic rule , made Sarit generally popular with the Thai public . Sarit ' s demise and aftermath . Sarit died unexpectedly in late 1963 from liver failure , just as his economic measures were proving successful . Power transferred peacefully to his deputy generals , Thanom Kittikachorn , who became Prime Minister , and Praphas Charusathian , who became Deputy Prime Minister . Thanom and Praphas maintained Sarit ' s authoritarian style of government , his anti - communism and pro - American policies . Sarit ' s relationship with King Bhumibol was evident when the King ordered 21 days of official mourning in the palace after his death , with Sarit ' s body lying in state under royal patronage for 100 days and their Majesties the King and Queen attending his cremation on March 17 , 1964 . Posthumous revelations . After Sarit ' s death , his reputation took a heavy blow when a bitter inheritance battle between his son , Major Setha Thanarat , and his young wife , Thanpuying Vichitra Thanarat , revealed the massive extent of Sarit ' s wealth ( US $ 140 million ) . He was discovered to have owned a trust company , a brewery , 51 cars and some 30 plots of land , most of which he gave to the dozens of mistresses he was found to have had . Thai language newspapers published the names of 100 women who claimed to have shared his bed , shocking the public when it was learnt how corrupt he had actually been . Royal decorations . As usual with senior Thai military officers and politicians , Sarit received many royal decorations in the Honours System . This include :