The period brought about increasing modernisation and Westernisation of Thai socierty . Rapid urbanization occurred when rural population look for work in growing cities . Rural farmers gained class consciousness and banded with Communist Party of Thailand since 1964 . Economic development and education caused middle class in Bangkok and big cities . In October 1971 , there was a large demonstration against dictatorship of Thanom Kittikachorn ( premiership 1963 – 73 ) , which led to many cilivian casualties . Bhumibol installed Sanya Dharmasakti ( premiership 1973 – 75 ) to replace him , making it the first time that the King intervened in Thai politics directly since 1932 . The Aftermath of the event marked short-lived parliamentary democracy , which often called " Era when democracy blossom . " ( ยุคประชาธิปไตยเบ่งบาน ) Constant unrest and instability , as well as fear of communist takeover after Fall of Saigon , made some ultra-right groups brand increasingly leftist students as communists . This culminated in Thammasat University massacre in October 1976 . A coup d'état on that very day brought Thailand a new ultra-right government , which oppressed many media outlets , officials , and intellectuals , and fueled the Communist insurgency further . Another coup in the following year installed a more moderate government , which offered amnesty to communist fighters in 1978 . The Party abandoned the insurgency by 1983 . Thailand had its first elected Prime Minister in 1988
Thammasat University massacre
Thammasat University massacre
Thailand