Telegram 28513 From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State, October 14, 1976

425. Telegram 28513 From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State, October 14, 1976, 1117Z.

October 14, 1976, 1117Z TELEGRAM

Department of State

BANGKOK 28513

R 141117Z OCT 76

FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4685

INFO AMCONSUL HONG KONG

AMEMBASSY JAKARTA

AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR

AMEMBASSY MANILA

AMEMBASSY RANGOON

AMEMBASSY TOKYO

AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE

CINCPAC HONOLULU

USLO PEKING

AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE

BANGKOK 28513

CINCPAC ALSO FOR POLAD

EO 11652: GDS

TAGS: PGOV TH

SUBJECT: THE END OF THE DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENT IN THAILAND

REF: BANGKOK 28368

SUMMARY: THAILAND'S THREE-YEAR-OLE EXPERIMENT WITH DEMOCRACY ENDED WITH THE COUP D'ETAT OF OCT 6. THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS IN POWER DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THAILAND THE LEADERSHIP THE COUNTRY NEEDED. THE CONFUSED AND COMPLEX EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT WERE CERTAINLY TRIGGERED BY THE RETURN OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER THANOM TO THAILAND ON SEPT 19, BUT THE FACT IS THAT THE THAI MILITARY DID NOT TAKE OVER FROM A SUCCESSFUL, FUNCTIONING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT. THAILAND'S FLIRTATION WITH DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT HAS NOT ENTIRELY ENDED, AND THE SIGNS ARE THAT AN ESSENTIALLY CIVILIAN CABINET WILL BE CONSTITUTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE 24-MEMBER NARC, AS PRESENTLY CONSTITUTED, IS PROBABLY TOO LARGE TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY, AND IT WILL TAKE SOMETIME FOR THE MILITARY-DOMINATED GOVERNMENT TO SETTLE DOWN. END SUMMARY.