1952 - The government appoints the "upper" half of the members of the new unicameral Assembly; most appointees are from the rich class. On the other hand, the Communist Party of Thailand, realizing the lack of capable cadres, begins sending students for Marxist-Leninist education to China and North Vietnam. Communism becomes banned in Thailand.
1952, Feb - General elections for members of the "lower" half of the Assembly are held. Military backed candidates win by large margins.
1948-1953 - Years of prosperity in Thailand due to high yields in rice.
1952-1955 - Corruption and political intrigues grow and suppressive measures are adopted against suspected leftists.
1954 - Thailand becomes a founding member of the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) along with the US, Great Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Pakistan. Its headquarters is in Bangkok.
1957, Feb - A general election is held but marred by massive cheating as a result of the multiple party system, introduced two years earlier.
1957, May - King Bhumiphol shows dissatisfaction with Field Marshall Phibul Songkhran by not attending the ceremonies to celebrate the 2,500th anniversary of Buddhism. Foreign educated Communist cadres return to change the image of Communism in the countryside and front organizations are formed.
1957, Sep 16 - The Military Party, led by army chief Sarit Thanarat, seizes power and ousts Marshall Phibul Songkhran and General Pao Sriyanonda. Phibul flees via Cambodia to Japan where he dies in 1964 without staging another comeback on the Thai political scene. Pao flees to Switzerland where he remains until his death a few years later. Pote Sarasin serves as caretaker prime minister.
1958, Jan - After another general election, Thanom Kittikachorn becomes prime minister of Thailand.
1958, Oct 20 - Another coup d’etat by army chief Sarit Thanarat takes place, allegedly because of the government failed to solve economic problems.
1959, Jan 28 - The Revolutionary Party of Sarit Thanarat (at the previous coup, his party was named Military Party) proclaims a new constitution and forms a National Assembly which nominates Sarit Thanarat (June 16, 1908 - Dec 8, 1963) as prime minister.
1961 - The Sarit Thanarat government announces its First 6-Year Plan. Subsequent governments will keep the habit of making economic development plans in the form of such plans. In the same year, the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA) is organized by Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Later it will be enlarged and adopt the name Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Communist Party of Thailand resolves to launch a "people’s war".
1961-1962 - Suspected Communists are arrested and executed. The Communist Party adopts a Maoist strategic line.
1963, Dec 8 - Sarit Thanarat dies of liver malfunction and Thanom Kittikachorn is appointed prime minister by King Bhumiphol.
1964 - Conditions in Indochina look threatening to both the US and Thailand. As the US moves in troops, Thailand’s involvement deepens as it becomes the staging ground for US operations in Laos. At the same time, internal insurgency grows into national proportions.
