SIAM: Flying Fops

In White Bangkok, bristling with gilded temple spires, Siam’s moon-faced Premier Phya Bahol last week went to work on the lively little rebellion of King Prajadhipok’s cousins, Princes Bavaradej and Sithiporn (TIME, Oct. 23). From 15 mi. to the north the young rebel fops of Siam’s crack air force flew out of their Donmuang Airdrome and dropped among Bangkok’s spires circulars claiming that they could take the city in two days except that their friends and relatives in the city might get hurt. Premier Bahol raked up ten pilots loyal to his Cabinet and sent them up from a temporary airport in Bangkok to spank the rebels. Soon seven planes had crashed among the friends and relatives, one on the roof of the Grand Palace, which houses Premier Bahol’s Government. On the ground Premier Bahol carried out his threat that “this will not be an other bloodless revolution.” Bahol’s men rushed north into Donmuang, killing 500 rebels, wounding 1,000. When they captured the airdrome they found it stripped, the planes flown, the water supply poisoned. They chased Prince Bavaradej north into the teak forests. Two days later, Bahol’s men captured Prince Sithiporn. They ferreted out two of his lieutenants in a Bangkok temple. A rumor spread that Prince Bavaradej had hopped into a plane and abandoned his troops. But his Royal Highness sent back word that, “My withdrawal is only temporary.” The delicacy of King Prajadhipok’s position is that he must preserve at least diplomatic relations with his revolting relatives, while in order to keep his throne he must retain the support of Premier Bahol’s Cabinet, tinged though its members are with Communistic ideas of national reform. Last week the princely rebels circulated a manifesto reading: “Our revolt is to place Prince Bavaradej on the throne, as it is now quite clearly apparent that our King now reigning is quite incapable of administering the State because he is not the master of his own feelings, which are based on uncertainty, and also has allowed commoners to take places formerly held by members of the royal family.”