Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (01)

 Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (01)

Under the first administration of Thai Premier Phibunsonggram (between1938 to1943), Thai youth were brought up in an atmosphere of militant patriotism, which finally fostered hostility towards all foreigners. Phibunsonggram was responsible for having devised an insidious means of ultra-patriotic propaganda through the “Yuvachon” (in Thai ยุวชนทหาร) or the Youth Movement, which was created in 1935, by him, as Minister of Defense.

Premier Phibunsonggram

The movement was founded among the male students in the schools throughout the country and in the two universities in Bangkok (Chulalongkorn University and the University of Moral and Political Sciences now Thammasart). There was in addition a movement for girl students, known as “Yuvanari” units. The “Yuvanari” (in Thai ยุวนารี) were supposed to qualify for duty as nurses in time of war. The aim of these organizations was to give the young intellectual class a pre-military training so as to fit them for military service and to provide reserve officers.

It also engaged in the indoctrination of children from an early age in accordance with the views and aspirations of the military party that the nation had to be from top to bottom a nation of soldiers and that in time of war the whole nation would engage in fighting field.

The Director of Yuvachon Department in the Ministry of Defense was Colonel Prayoon Phmonmontri, the son of a Thai father by a German mother, who had visited Nazi youth organizations

Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (02)

Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (02)

The Yuvachon was an organization similar to youth movements in Japan and Germany. The fact that active army officers were in charge of the training, and not, as in Germany, young leaders from the ranks of the movement, was reminiscent of the Japanese system.

On the other hand, the Yuvachon, as a unified, national organization, existed independently of the schools, much like in Germany. The supreme aim of the Yuvachon was to strengthen the young people’s national consciousness, spirit of sacrifice, and eagerness to serve.

Colonel Prayoon Phmonmontri,

the son of a Thai father by a German mother,

who had visited Nazi youth organizations.

Almost purely military methods were used to reach this goal. First place was given to discipline, drill and athletics. These boys occupied with marching, drilling, and sharp-shorting seemed more like young cadets from a military schools.

In connection with this militant youth movement, one Western scholar has observed that in 1941 the symbol of the New Thailand was the school house and the Yuvachon, the greater youth organization of Thailand and that the young people were quite different from the older generation, much more nationally-minded and anxious to serve their country.

Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (03)

Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (03)

“ In every school in Thailand, the same scholar wrote, “ from kindergarten to the university, the national flag with its red, white, and blue stripes is solely raised every morning, while pupils and students stand at attention”, singing the national anthem, the words of which contain the nationalist feeling:

Thailand embraces in its bosom all people of Thai blood. Every inch of Thailand belongs to the Thais. It has long maintained its sovereignty because the Thais have always been united. The Thai people are peace-loving, but they are no cowards in war. They shall allow no one to rob them of their independence. Nor shall they suffer tyranny. All Thais are ready to give every jot of blood for the nation’s safety, freedom and progress.

Yuvachon Flag for Youth

While the Thais were pre-occupied with the creation of the New Thailand, the French were suspicious of the growing nationalist tendencies of the Thais, and of their leaning towards Japan, Italy and Germany.

Naturally the French were worried about the Pan-Thai movement and irredentism because it looked as if they were inspired by Nazi concepts. Likewise the Yuvachon which the French saw as the equivalent of the Hitler youth.

Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (04)

Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (04)

The French further that these Thai movements, which they thought were motivated by Thai imperialism, constituted a direct threat to the security of Indo-China, and would link Thailand with Italy, Germany and Japan against the position in the Far East of all the European colonial powers.

Yuvachon Flag for Officers

In his statement to the French Chamber of Deputies in 1938, Colonel Fernard Bernard, former President of the Franco-Siamese Boundary Commission, asked for arms and reinforcements in Indo-China, justifying his initiative in this manner:

The Victory of Japan over Russia produced a terrific effect at the time on the people of Asia, and we in Europe all felt the counter-blast. What would happen if tomorrow a minute country like Siam imposed her will upon France?