Translation:Announcement of the Revolutionary Council No. 3 dated 17 November 2514 BE

by Revolutionary Council of Thailand (1971)

Announcement of the Revolutionary Council
No. 3

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Whereas, as earlier announced by the Revolutionary Council, the Revolutionary Council which is composed of army officers, navy officers, air force officers, police officers, and civilians has already seized the administrative power of the Country; therefore, in order to smoothly administer the Country, the Revolutionary Council gives the following order:

1.⁠The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, 2511 Buddhist Era, shall come to an end.

2.⁠The Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Council of Ministers shall come to an end together with the Constitution.

3.⁠The Privy Councillors shall remain in their positions and continue to perform their duties.

4.⁠All the courts shall remain empowered to try and adjudicate upon cases in accordance with the provisions of law and announcements of the Revolutionary Council.

5.⁠There shall be a Headquarters of the Revolutionary Council, with Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, Head of the Revolutionary Council, as the supreme commander of the military and civil public servants and as the person in charge of the situations throughout the Kingdom.

6.⁠The permanent secretaries of all ministries shall be the commanders of and be responsible for the work of their ministries, and all the powers and duties which the law provides to be the powers of the ministers shall become the powers of the permanent secretaries, and they shall, in performing public services, be directly subject to the Head of the Revolutionary Council or the person authorised by the Head of the Revolutionary Council. As regards any public services which are not routine services as usual or which give rise to problems, or deal with the policy, or concern another ministry, the permanent secretary of the [relevant] ministry shall apply, through the head of a directorate, to the Head of the Revolutionary Council for his ruling. As regards military public servants, [such application] shall be made through the Head of the Military Directorate. As regards civil public servants, it shall be made through the Head of the Civil Directorate.

7.⁠The persons holding the positions of directors, secretaries general, deputy directors, deputy secretaries general, assistant directors, and assistant secretaries general on the 17th day of November 2514, who are political public servants attached to public bodies under the Office of the Prime Minister, shall remain in their positions. And the heads of the public bodies under the Office of the Prime Minister who are political public servants, and the Secretary General of the National Economic Development Council, shall, in performing public services, be directly subject to the Head of the Revolutionary Council or the person authorised by the Head of the Revolutionary Council.

In addition, the Revolutionary Council would like to announce that the Revolutionary Council will not censor news and newspapers yet. All newspapers may be printed and distributed without having to undergo prior censorship of news, because the Revolutionary Council believes that all newspapers will cooperate in this revolution by means of reporting all news and movements according to the truth and in a fair manner and presenting wholehearted opinions in such a way that would contribute to constructiveness for the Country and the people. Any actions done by newspapers in a manner that gives rise to wrongs, that presents falsehoods to the public, or that is unfair, will be suppressed by the revolutionary power, which is necessary for the maintenance of national safety, public order, and good morals. Especially, the newspapers which act as mouthpieces for foreigners, speak for them, or boost doctrines that are dangerous to the Nation, Religions, and Monarch, or attempt to spur and stir up disunity in the Nation directly or indirectly or by whatever means, shall suffer rigid suppression.

Announced on the 17th day of November 2514 Buddhist Era
Field Marshal Th. Kittikachorn
Head of the Revolutionary Council

Bibliography

• "Prakat Khong Khana Patiwat Chabap Thi Sam" [Announcement of the Revolutionary No. 3]. (1971, 8 November). Ratchakitchanubeksa [Royal Gazette], 88(124A), 8–10. (In Thai).