The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

32 Nicholas Tarling
The King believed in representative government. But cooperation
with the present government bad been almost impossible. 'It was given
power by an Assembly half of whose members were nominated not
because they represented the nation, but because they were sympathetic
to the mixture of Radicalism and Socialism which inspired the first
revolution. The other half consisted of members returned by an
electorate in which the Government allowed no organised opposition,
and not more than a fifth of the electors voted .... ' The government's
folly was shown by its co.ntinued espousal of plans as infantile as Luang
Pradit's; its injustice by its. merciless treatment of those who took part
in or sympathised with the Bowaradej rebellion. 'When the King's
refusal to give up his right to review death sentences is considered in the
light of the fact that at least six men have been sentenced to death who
sincerely believed that they were fighting for the King against a
communistically-inclined Government it is easy to see why the breach
has been opened and why it will be difficult to close .•.. ' The King
should, perhaps, have made his stand earlier. lll-healtb and physical
weakness helped to explain why he had not. But his sense of duty was
an additional factor. 'He would even now be loth to leave his position
if there was any real hope that he could save the Siamese from any of
the troubles that lie ahead of them. Evidently he feels that there is
little hope of this and that by remaining in his position he would only
allow the Government to use his name and influence in impressing on his
people a policy which they neither understand nor like .... oto2 Prince
Varnvaidyakorn told Crosby that he thought the article was by Ctaig,
'who must have been inspired. by the Court•.t03
Early in 1935 the Foreign Office beard of an 'ultimatum' by the
King which put the question rather differently. He would abdicate,
unless satisfied on four points: that the constitution should be altered so
that a two-thirds majority was required before the Assembly could
override the royal veto; that the King should have an effective share in
102) Conversation, 20 November 1934, F.O. 371/18211 (F6922/6922/40). The
Times, 19 November.
103) Crosby to Orde, 12 December 1934, F.O. 371/18211 (F7671/6922/40).