THAILAND: Trusted Hands

Ever since last month's national elections, in which most of his own candidates won in a walkaway. Strongman Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat has been casting around for a suitable Premier. Last week, between bouts with a chronically bad liver, Marshal Sarit named his man: stocky, mild-mannered, 46-year-old Lieut. General Thanom Kittikhachorn (whose polysyllabic last name means "widespreadreputation").

General Thanom, a longtime crony of Sarit's and assistant commander in chief (under Sarit) of the army, was diffident about taking up his new post. Said the new Premier: "I'm unprepared to take up the premiership, but cannot refuse because it is a call to duty. Besides, this appointment demands someone well versed in foreign affairs, and I'm not. I cannot even speak English well enough to express myself. I'm afraid that my cherished reputation, which I built by long years of conscientious work in the army, may be ruined in politics." To forfend any such disaster, Premier Thanom shrewdly asked Thailand's wise and respected Prince Wan Waithayakon and two other distinguished Thai statesmen and scholars to serve as Vice Premiers.

With the country safely confided to hands he could trust, Strongman Sarit announced that he will journey to the U.S. this month for 1) examination and treatment of his liver at Washington's Walter Reed Hospital, and 2) a call on President Eisenhower.