523. Editorial Note
On September 16, a Thai military group, led by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, executed a successful coup d’état and overthrew the government of Prime Minister Pibulsonggram. The coup had been presaged by the resignations of Sarit and 46 of his followers from the ruling Seri Manangkhasila Party, and it was executed without opposition or bloodshed. Prime Minister Pibulsonggram fled into exile in Cambodia, while Police Director General Phao Sriyanon surrendered to the armed forces and was allowed to leave by plane for Europe. The King proclaimed a state of emergency as the coup developed and appointed Sarit Military Governor of Bangkok. On September 18, a Royal Decree was issued dissolving the National Assembly and providing for new elections within 90 days. The official reaction of the United States to the coup, as outlined in a press release issued in Washington on September 17, was that the transfer of authority in Thailand was an internal political development which was not expected to alter United States-Thai cooperation. A detailed assessment of the background and development of the coup, based upon a wide range of information available to the Embassy, is in despatch 416 from Bangkok, December 3. (Department of State, Central Files, 792.00/12–357)