the government. Protests against their arrest escalated. On October 14, 1973, riot police, the army and demonstrating students clashed. Several government buildings including police stations were attacked. Over 100 students were killed.
The military government, in preparation to suppress the demonstrators by force, was held back by another military power, Army Commander-in-Chief General Krit Sivara, who refused the order of Prime Minister Thanom and Supreme Commander and Deputy Prime Minister Prapass to use army tanks en mass to crush the demonstration. Following the resignation of the government on October 14, the King (Rama IX) personally selected Sanya Dharmasakti as the new prime minister. More importantly, the King the next day ordered Thanom, Prapass and Narong, Thanom’s son, to leave the country. This unprecedented action shows clearly that the King was no longer a mere symbol to be manipulated by the government in power, he had become a significant center of authority in his own right (Keyes 1987, 84 quoted by Dixon 1999, 96). Indeed, it shows why the King is deeply respected and beloved by the people and even the army.1
Subsequent to the Sanya government (1973- 1975), there have been 15 governments including the present one. The last coup, led by General Suchinda Kraprayun, overthrew the Chatichai Chunhavan government in February 1991. The Suchinda government was ousted in May 1992.