▁he ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Sar it ▁himself ▁and ▁made ▁deput y ▁prime ▁minister , ▁defence ▁minister , ▁and ▁armed ▁forces ▁deput y ▁supre me ▁commander . ▁ ▁Prime ▁minister ▁ ▁Th an om ▁was ▁appointed ▁prime ▁minister ▁one ▁day ▁after ▁Sar it ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁appointed ▁himself ▁commander - in - ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁army . ▁One ▁year ▁later , ▁he ▁promoted ▁himself ▁to ▁the ▁concurrent ▁ranks ▁of ▁field ▁mar shal , ▁adm iral ▁of ▁the ▁fleet , ▁and ▁Marsh al ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Th ai ▁Air ▁Force . ▁Th an om ▁continued ▁the ▁pro - American ▁and ▁anti - comm un ist ▁politics ▁of ▁his ▁prede cess or , ▁which ▁helped ▁to ▁ensure ▁massive ▁US ▁economic ▁and ▁financial ▁aid ▁during ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War . ▁Although ▁he ▁was ▁personally ▁popular , ▁his ▁regime ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁massive ▁cor ruption . ▁He ▁established ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁United ▁Th ai ▁People ' s ▁Party ▁( S aha ▁Pra ch ath ai ) ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁Th an om ▁re app oint ed ▁himself ▁prime ▁minister ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁after ▁general ▁elections ▁had ▁been ▁completed . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁saw ▁the ▁beg inn ings ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁pe asant ▁revol ts ▁in ▁Th ailand . ▁Then , ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁he ▁st aged ▁a ▁coup ▁against ▁his ▁own ▁government , ▁cit ing ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁suppress