3 ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁promoted ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Region ▁Army . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁deput y ▁co oper atives ▁minister ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁Th an om ▁supported ▁Sar it ▁in ▁his ▁coup ▁against ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Field ▁Marsh al ▁Pla ek ▁Ph ib uns ong k hr am , ▁and ▁was ▁subsequently ▁appointed ▁defence ▁minister ▁in ▁P ote ▁Sar as in ' s ▁pu ppet ▁regime ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁Th an om ▁cons olid ated ▁his ▁power ▁base ▁as ▁the ▁second ▁military ▁leader ▁and ▁right - hand ▁man ▁of ▁Sar it . ▁A ▁few ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁December ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁general ▁election , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁pro - g overn ment ▁Sah aph um ▁Party ▁(" Un ited ▁Land ") ▁had ▁performed ▁disappoint ingly , ▁Th an om ▁co - f ounded ▁the ▁National ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁( Ch at ▁Sang k hom ni y om ). ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁deput y ▁leader ▁of ▁this ▁party , ▁designed ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁pro - g overn ment ▁camp ▁and ▁win ▁over ▁former ▁members ▁of ▁Ph ib uns ong k hr am ' s ▁Ser i ▁Man ang k has ila ▁Party ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁re elect ed ▁to ▁parliament ▁as ▁independ ents . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁full ▁general ▁and ▁assumed ▁the ▁offices ▁of ▁prime ▁minister ▁and ▁defence ▁minister . ▁He ▁was ▁prime ▁minister ▁for ▁nine ▁months , ▁after ▁which