View source for Kris Sivara

{{Short description|Thai general (1914–1976)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Kris Sivara
| native_name         = กฤษณ์ สีวะรา
| native_name_lang    = th
| honorific-suffix    = 
| image               = Kris Sivara.jpg
| caption             = 
| office              = [[List of Defence Ministers of Thailand|Minister of Defence]]
| term_start          = 21 April 1976
| term_end            = 28 April 1976
| predecessor         = [[Pramarn Adireksarn]]
| successor           = [[Tawich Seneewong]]
| primeminister       = [[Seni Pramoj]]
| office1             = [[List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters|Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces]]
| term_start1         = 1 October 1974
| term_end1           = 30 September 1975
| predecessor1        = [[Dawee Chullasapya]]
| successor1          = [[Sangad Chaloryu]]
| office2             = [[List of commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army|Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army]]
| term_start2         = 1 October 1973
| term_end2           = 30 September 1975
| predecessor2        = [[Praphas Charusathien]]
| successor2          = [[Boonchai Bamroongpong]]
| birth_date          = March 24, 1914
| birth_place         = [[Bangkok]], Krung Thep, Siam (now Bangkok, Thailand)
| death_date          = {{death date and age|1976|4|28|1914|3|24|mf=y}}
| death_place         = [[Phramongkutklao Hospital]], [[Phaya Thai district|Phaya Thai]], [[Bangkok]], Thailand (now [[Ratchathewi district|Ratchathewi]], Bangkok, Thailand)
| party               = [[Social Justice Party (Thailand)|Social Justice Party]]
| spouse              = Surai Sivara
| children            = 
| signature           = 
| alma_mater          = [[Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy]]
| allegiance          = {{flag|Thailand}}
| branch              = {{Army|Thailand}}
| serviceyears        = 
| rank                = [[File:RTA OF-9 (General).svg|15px]] [[General officer|General]]
| commands            = {{ubil|[[List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Army|Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army]]|[[List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters|Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces]]|[[1st Infantry Regiment (Thailand)|1st Infantry Regiment, King's Close Bodyguard]]|Commanding General of the 1st Army Area|Commanding General of the 2nd Army Area}}
| battles             = * [[World War II]]
** [[Franco-Thai War]]
** [[Pacific War]]
*** [[Burma campaign]]
| otherparty          = [[United Thai People's Party]]
}}

'''Kris Sivara''' ([[Thai language|Thai:]] กฤษณ์ สีวะรา, {{RTGS|Krit Siwara}}, alternatively transcribed as ''Srivara'') (27 March 1914 – 28 April 1976) was a [[military officer]] of the [[Royal Thai Army]], a member of the Thai Cabinet, and deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army during the violent crackdown on democracy protesters on [[1973 Thai popular uprising|14 October 1973]]. He was later promoted to Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army from 1973 to 1975.

==Career==
During the [[Burma Campaign]] in [[World War II]], Kris served as a company commander in a [[Phayap Army]] battalion under the command of Major [[Sarit Thanarat]].

Kris was appointed Deputy Minister of Education by Field Marshal [[Thanom Kittikachorn]] in his 1969 government. On 23 November 1970, he was switched to Deputy Minister of Defence (Thanom was both premier and minister of defence). The government fell on 17 November 1971 after Thanom led a coup that overthrew his own government and abrogated the [[1968 constitution of Thailand|1968 constitution]].  Thanom appointed Kris Minister of Industry in his subsequent junta.

Kris played a pivotal role in the [[14 October democracy movement]] of 1973. Kris served as Deputy Army Commander in the face of massive public demonstrations against the "three tyrants": Colonel [[Narong Kittikachorn]], Army Commander Field Marshal [[Praphas Charusathien]], and Prime Minister and Supreme Commander Thanom Kittikachorn.  On the evening of 14 October, the police and army began shooting at demonstrators, killing at least 70.  Narong shot into the crowds from a helicopter.<ref name=ยิง/> Thanom and Praphas resigned from their political roles, but continued to lead the military. They ordered more troops to confront the remaining demonstrators, but were blocked by Kris. Thanom and Narong then resigned from their military positions. The king then appointed [[Sanya Dharmasakti]] as premier. Kris was named defense minister in 1976, but died a week later in April 1976. His death has been called "...sudden and strange..."<ref name="Chambers-2016">{{cite web|last1=Chambers|first1=Paul|title=Under the Boot: Military-Civil Relations in Thailand since the 2014 Coup|url=http://www.cityu.edu.hk/searc/Resources/Paper/16090115_187%20-%20WP%20-%20Dr%20Chambers.pdf|website=City University of Hong Kong|publisher=Southeast Asia Research Centre (SEARC) Working Paper Series No. 187|access-date=17 November 2017|date=2016-08-15}}</ref>{{RP|4}}

Kris's role in the events was countered by Narong in a 2003 book. Narong blamed Kris, among others, for the violence. The book was strongly criticised by former student leaders.<ref name=ยิง>{{cite web|url=http://oknation.nationtv.tv/blog/canthai/2010/08/10/entry-3|title=ย้อนรอย 30 ปี 14 ตุลา ...นายเทพมนตรี ลิมปพยอม ผู้แก้ตัวให้ 3 ทรราช|author=Can ไทเมือง|date=2010-08-10|access-date=2017-10-15|work=Oknation|language=th}}</ref>

The army's Kris Sivara Camp in [[Sakon Nakhon Province]] is named after him.

==Honours==

* 1966 – [[File:Order of the White Elephant - Special Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted [[Order of the White Elephant]]
* 1963 – [[File:Order of the Crown of Thailand - Special Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Noble [[Order of the Crown of Thailand]]
* 1969 – [[File:Order of Chula Chom Klao - 2nd Class upper (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Dame Grand Commander of the Most Illustrious [[Order of Chula Chom Klao]]
* 1962 – [[File:Victory Medal - World War II (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Victory Medal – [[World War II|Pacific War]]
* 1974 – [[File:Freeman Safeguarding Medal - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Freemen Safeguarding Medal, First Class
* 1934 – [[File:Safeguarding the Constitution Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Safeguarding the Constitution Medal
* 1969 – [[File:Border Service Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Border Service Medal
* 1947 – [[File:Chakra Mala Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Chakra Mala Medal
* 1950 – [[File:King Rama VIII Royal Cypher Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] King [[Ananda Mahidol]]'s Royal Cypher Medal, 4th class
* 1953 – [[File:King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (Thailand) ribbon.png|80x80px]] King [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]]'s Royal Cypher Medal, 3rd class
* 1953 – [[File:King Rama VII Coronation Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] King Rama VII Coronation Medal
* 1953 – [[File:King Rama IX Coronation Medal (Thailand) ribbon.svg|80x80px]] King Rama IX Coronation Medal
* 1953 – [[File:150 Years Commemoration of Bangkok Medal ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Commemorative Medal on the Occasion of the 150th Years of Rattanakosin Celebration
* – [[File:Ribbon bar of Red Cross Medal of Appreciation, 1st Class (Thailand).svg|80x80px]] Red Cross Medal of Appreciation, First Class

===Foreign honours===

* {{Flag|Malaysia}} :
** 1964 – [[File:MY Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara (Defender of the Realm) - SMN.svg|80x80px]] Companion of the [[Order of the Defender of the Realm]]<ref>[https://www.istiadat.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1964.pdf SENARAI PENUH PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT PERSEKUTUAN TAHUN 1964.]</ref>
** 1975 – [[File:Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia - SSM.svg|80x80px]] Honorary Grand Commander of the [[Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan. |url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302093834/http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/ |archive-date=2017-03-02}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Belgium}} :
** 1964 – [[File:BEL Order of Leopold II - Grand Cross BAR.png|80x80px]] Grand Cross of the [[Order of Leopold II]]

* {{Flag|Taiwan}} :
** 1967 – [[File:Special Breast Order of Yun Hui.png|80x80px]] Order of Yun Hui, Third Class (Special)
** 1969 – [[File:Order of the Cloud and Banner 2nd.gif|80x80px]] Grand Cordon of the [[Order of the Cloud and Banner]]
*{{Flag|Ethiopian Empire}} :
**1968 – [[File:ETH Order of the Star of Ethiopia - Grand Cross BAR.png|80x80px]] Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Star of Ethiopia]]
* {{Flag|South Korea}} :
** 1969 – [[File:Tong-il Security Medal Ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Tongil Medal of the [[Order of National Security Merit]]

* {{Flag|South Vietnam}} :
** 1969 – [[File:Vietnam Kim Khanh Decoration ribbon-First Class.svg|80x80px]] Kim Khanh Decoration, First Class

* {{Flag|UK}} :
** 1972 – [[File:Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.png|80x80px]] Knight Commander of the [[Order of the British Empire]] (Military) ('''KBE''')

* {{Flag|Indonesia}} :
** 1973 – [[File:Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (Indonesia).png|80x80px]] Grand Meritorious Military Order Star, 1st Class

* {{Flag|Philippines}} :
** 1975 – [[File:PHL Legion of Honor - Commander BAR.png|80x80px]] [[Philippine Legion of Honor]] (Rank of Commander)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Paul M. Handley, "[[The King Never Smiles]]" Yale University Press: 2006, {{ISBN|0-300-10682-3}}

==External links==
* ''The Nation'', [https://archive.today/20130129134518/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/UPRISING-Narong-is-distorting-history-84733.html "Uprising: Narong 'is distorting history'"], 31 Aug 2003

{{Royal Thai Army Chiefs}}
{{Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sivara, Kris}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1976 deaths]]
[[Category:Chiefs of Defence Forces (Thailand)|Kris Sivara]]
[[Category:Members of the 7th House of Representatives of Thailand|Kris Sivara]]
[[Category:Members of the 8th House of Representatives of Thailand|Kris Sivara]]
[[Category:Ministers of defence of Thailand|Kris Sivara]]
[[Category:Members of the Senate of Thailand|Kris Sivara]]
[[Category:Honorary grand commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia]]
[[Category:Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy alumni|Kris Sivara]]
[[Category:Commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army|Kris Sivara]]
[[Category:Ministers of industry of Thailand|Kris Sivara]]


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