The period from 1944 to 1947 was a rough one politically and economically, with five governments and ten cabinets. Inflation reached 100 percent during the period, and overt official corruption increased public unrest. The civilian government was further destabilized by the mysterious death of the young King Ananda (Rama VIII) who was found shot in bed in 1946 (Dixon 1999, 69). In 1947 a military coup overthrew the government and resulted in the establishment of a military government under Phibun Songkhram in 1948. Phibun Songkhram was prime minister from 1948 to1957, when he was forced into exile as the result of a coup sparked by charges of election-rigging (Warr and Bhanupong 1996, 13). Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, who took control, appointed two prime ministers, first Pote Sarasin (September-December 1957) and then General Thanom Kittikachorn (January-October 1958). In October 1958 Sarit assumed the premiership himself. Sarit‘s government soon arrested many people it suspected of being communists and dissolved Parliament. However, an important event, which may be considered a milestone in Thailand’s modern economic system, was a World Bank advisory mission sent in 1957 to work with Thai counterparts. In addition to making a number of sensible economic recommendations, this technical assistance mission resulted in the adoption of Thailand’s First National Economic Development Plan in 1961.