Kenneth Landon was the senior U.S. diplomat responsible for Thailand in the late 1940s and 1950s. Long after his retirement, Landons son recorded his reminiscences on Thai politics. The most remarkable piece of testimony is shared here. Landon describes the Bangkok social scene in 1945/46, recounts a meeting (and dance) with a young Sirikit Kitiyakara, and discusses the circumstances of how King Bhumibol Adulyadej met and married Sirikit, much to the chagrin of Prince Dhani who was hoping his own daughter would become queen. Most importantly, Landon discusses the fatal shooting of King Ananda Mahidol in June 1946 and shares the identity of his killer: he was “killed by his brother, either intentionally or accidentally, by the gun the OSS guy had given them to play with”.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 07:43:08 +0000
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