Plaek Phibunsongkhram

Plaek Phibunsongkhram (; other name were Marshal P. () in Thailand and Phibun in the West; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964) was a Thai military officer and politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957. In 1941, he was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal.

As a young artillery officer, Plaek studied at French military academies. He joined the constitutionalist "Khana Ratsadon" and gained military and political power after their takeover in the Siamese revolution of 1932. After suppressing a royalist coup attempt, he became Minister of Defense in 1934. In 1938, he was elected Prime Minister by the parliament.

Plaek ruled Thailand in an authoritarian manner, promoting aggressive nationalism and militarism. He aimed to culturally modernize Thailand, drawing inspiration from Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and Empire of Japan. Plaek aspired to create a "Greater Thai Empire" and demanded territorial concessions from the British and French colonial empires. Between 1940 and 1941, he led Thailand in a war against France and in 1942 allied with Japan in World War II. In July 1944, Plaek was forced to resign.

In 1947, the military, under Phibun, seized power again. In 1948, he became Prime Minister once more, ruling the country in an authoritarian manner but this time closely aligning with the United States. After initiating steps towards democratization in 1955, he was ousted by a rival military faction in 1957. Plaek went into exile in Japan, where he died.

Category:1897 births
Category:1964 deaths
Category:Prime ministers of Thailand