or Luang Pradist Manudharm
born May 11, 1900, Ayutthaya, Siam
died May 2, 1983, Paris, France
Thai political leader and prime minister.
He earned a doctorate in law in France, where he was influenced by socialism and where, with Promoters Revolution and helped write the constitution of December 1932. He engineered the downfall of Phibunsongkhram's pro-Japanese government (1944) and in 1946 became Thailand's first popularly elected prime minister. Unjustly held responsible for the assassination of King Ananda that year, he was forced to resign and flee the country in 1947. He lived in China until 1970, when he moved to France.