ที่ New Mandala มีกระทู้อันหนึ่ง ที่ต่อเนื่องมายาวนานแล้ว (เริ่มโพสต์ 29 พฤษภาคม 2551) เกี่ยวกับหนังสือ The Devil's Discus ในภาษาไทย (กงจักรปีศาจ นั่นแหละครับ) เวลามีใครเขียน comment ใหม่ เขาก็จะขึ้น link มาให้ใหม่ บังเอิญ ไม่กี่วันนี้ มีคุณ Hinke ที่หลายท่านอาจจะรู้จัก ไปเขียน comment เพิ่มเติม ถึงหนังสือ "คู่มือ" ของ CIA เล่มหนึ่งชื่อ A Study of Assasination (ซึ่งอยู่ในภาคผนวกของหนังสืออีกเล่มหนึ่ง) ทีน่าสนใจคือ "คู่มือ" CIA เล่มนี้ กล่าวพาดพิงถึงกรณีสวรรคต (หรือ "ลอบปลงพระชนม์") ในหลวงอานันท์ด้วย
ดูที่คุณ Hinke เขียนทีนี่
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2008/05/29/the-devils-discus-in-thai/comment-page-3/#comment-701516
แล้วก็เลยมีฝรั่งอีก 2-3 คนมาเขียนต่อเรื่องกรณีสวรรคต ในนั้น มีข้อมูลบางอย่าง ที่ผมเห็นว่าคลาดเคลื่อน เช่นเรื่อง การขอพระราชทานอภัยโทษ (มีการขอหรือไม่ มีการพระราชทานหรือไม่ เพราะอะไร) หรือเรื่อง ข่าวลือที่ว่า ครอบครัวคุณชิต สิงหเสนี ได้รับเงินช่วยเหลือจาก "the palace"
ผมจึงไปเขียนแสดงความเห็น ให้ข้อมูลที่ผมเห็นว่าถูกต้อง สำหรับใครที่เคยอ่านบทความเรื่อง "50 ปีการประหาร 17 กุมภาพันธ์ 2498" http://somsakwork.blogspot.com/2006/06/blog-post.html
ข้อมูลส่วนใหญ่ที่ผมไปเขียนนี้ ก็คงไม่ใหม่ และรู้กันอยู่ (แต่มีบางเรื่อง ก็ไม่มีอยู่ในบทความนั้น) ผมเอามาโพสต์ที่นี่ เผื่อใครจะสนใจ (ขณะที่ผมโพสต์ที่นี้ ที่ New Mandala ยังไม่ขึ้น ถ้าขึ้นแล้ว น่าจะอยู่ตาม link นี้
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2008/05/29/the-devils-discus-in-thai/comment-page-3/#comment-702378
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I haven't been here for a week or two, and missed this renewed discussion on this topic. Let me join in and clarify a few points of facts.
Khun Hinke #95
Of course, everyone knows that the pistol found with King Ananda was a gift from the OSS (predecessor of the CIA) station chief in Bangkok.
Actually, as far as I can remember, I don't think that's the case. (My books and documents are in a mess now and have no time to check, but I'm quite sure of this info). The pistol was originally part of the amunition that the Americans provided for the Free Thai movement (largely by air drops). It was presented to King Anan as a gift, a mememto, by Pridi, when the latter took the king for a 'tour' at a former Free Thai training camp (at Sattahip naval base). Pridi's bodyguard, Watchachai Chai-sitthiwet, who the royalists accused of being the 'assassin', was also assigned to train the youg king (and presumably his brother) how to handle and use the gun.
Khun Thomas Hoy #98
none of these three men, as far as I’m aware, has received an official pardon.
The three convicts had submitted a petition for royal pardon, but it was rejected by HMK. Royalists please note (it's important for me to emphasize this, because of the LM law), this is NOT my interpretation (let alone accusation); the official document of rejection, sent from the Royal Secretariat to the Cabinet, stated: "ความทราบฝ่าละอองธุลีพระบาทแล้ว โปรดเกล้าฯให้ยกเสีย" (roughly translated, "His Majesty has learned of the petition, and has graciouly ordered it void." )
Khun Ralph Kramden #99
Not sure they were pardoned, but I do recall – and for the life of me can’t find it – a statement some years ago about the palace acknowledging that these three were not the culprits and that their families had received some kind support from the palace.
First, about the statment you refer to, I'm sure it's actually an article by one of Pridi's key supporters, Mr.Suphot Dantrakun. I don't have it in my hand right now but have quite good memory of it. Mr. Suphotinterprets certain statement by some royals (e.g. prince, or mom chao) who in turn, claims that certain gestures by HMK 'indicated' that HMK considered the three innocent. Mr.Suphot's aim is clear: he wants to present Pridi as at once innocent of the regicide charge and a loyal subject. I have great repect for Mr.Suphot, but I totall disagree with his strategy of defending Pridi here.
More recently, we have Stevenson's The Revolutionary King, in which he presents HMK as realizing the innocence of the three from the days of trial, and that HMK had intended to intervene in the last minute (presumably by grantin pardon), should the three get convicted. Stevenson claims that HMK was prevented from doing so by Police General Phao Sriyanon (Phibun's right-hand man) who cunningly withheld the pettion for royal pardon of the three and rushing them to the firing squad without HMK's knowledge. HMK was, writes Stevenson, 'in silent rage' because of this. But as the letter of the Royal Secretariat I cited above shows, this is definitely un-true. Where or whom Stevenson got this un-true story from, I don't know.
A few years ago, on the 50th anniversary of the execution, I published an article (in Thai) in Faw Diew Kan magazine dealing with the whole issue surrounding the royal pardon as well as providing narrative of what happened on the day of the execution itself. You can read it online at my blog here:
http://somsakwork.blogspot.com/2006/06/blog-post.html
Now, about the rumored 'support' from the palace after the execution of the three, which Khun nuomi #100 also mentions:
It is also rumored that the three families have recieved (unofficial) support from the palace.
I can definitely say that the rumor is false. I have in my hand, a commemorative volume of the cremation of Khun Chuchua Singhaseni, wife of Chit Singhaseni, one of the three convicted. In the volume, there's an interview with Khun Chuchau, five years before she died in 2006, conducted by one of her granddaughters. In this moving interview, Khun Chuchau recalled how the family had fallen into extreme difficulty socially and financially after her husband's execution. (They had five daughters.) The family was helped by various relatives, and by Phibun, who ordeded his secretary to contact Khun Chuchau, telling her that the Field Marshal wanted to help because her husband "was dead [executed] for political reason" [ต้องตายเพราะการเมือง]. Phibun ordered a payment to the family of two-thusand baths each month. It's not his own money; I presume he found some official channel for the payment. Khun Chuchau had to go to the government house on the first day of each month to sign and receive the money. Now, I'd suggest that Phibun had his own political reason to help the family I'm not saying he had no 'altruistic' motive; I simply cannot judge that. But politics certainly played a part. It was precisely at this time, that Phibun tried to contact Pridi, in exile in China, with a proposed pact against the so-called 'Sakdina' clique, by re-open the case of Anan's death. The plan was cut short by Sarit's coup of September 1957. I detailed this in my article too.
But apart from such help from Phibun and despite the interview repeatly discussing how HKM felt about the family (both Khun Chuchau and the interviewer tried to speculate whether HMK believed Chit quilty and so on), neither Khun Chuchau, nor the interviewer, nor other relatives presented during the interview mentioned any help from the palace whatsoever. In the context of the interview, they would have proudly cite such help if there was any.
