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Click to read about Kloang 5

Jit Poomisak was born "Somjit Poomisak" on 25 September 1930 in Prajinburi, to Siri and Saengngoen Poomisak. Siri, Jit's father, was a district revenue office clerk (Sanpasamit); and Saengngoen, Jit's mother, was a seamstress. Jit has one sister, Pirom, who's 2 years older than him. He and his family moved around a lot due to Jit's father's job requirement.

When Field Marshal Plag Piboonsongkram (Plag Kittasangka) came to power in 1938 (he was part of the group that staged the 1932 revolution), he began what was to be an intense period of hypernationalism in Thailand. (One of the things he did was to change the country's name, in September 17, 1940, from Siam to Thailand.) Luang Wijitwattakarn, his main propagandist, was instrumental in shaping the country's official/state nationalism, and also the irredentist movement that sought to gain back some territories claimed to have been lost to the French and the British. The French Cambodia area was one of those territories. Luang Wijit's campaign succeeded in persuading the Thai of all classes, for the first time in history, to unite in their effort to regain these lands (Barme:167). It was during this time of full-force hypernationalism and irredentist movement that Jit and his family was living in Battambang (Pratabong), a Cambodia province at that time under the Thai control from the French. Jit's father was one of the Thai administrators assigned to work there. Jit got a chance to learn the Khmer language and culture. He became fluent in Khmer, and he learned the ancient Khmer language as well. His knowledge and interest in the Cambodian language and history was to show itself later in life with his scholarly essays on Khmer subjects.

Although at first he went along with the irredentist trend, he later began to sympathize with the Anti-Thai movement of the Khmer people and their desire to be independent from any foreign occupation whatsoever. Eventually, in 1946, the Thais had to leave Battambang. (When King Rama VIII was found fatally shot in the head in June 9 of that same year, Jit and his family were still living in Battambang. Jit's diary recorded the moment of this news arriving at Battambang - his own and every Thai person's shock and disbelief, and also how torn he was between this regicide news and his own preoccupation with the Free Khmer movement he came to believe in. (Reynolds:19).

Jit's mother moved the children to Bangkok and at this time Jit's father ceased to be part of Jit's life. He seemed to have disappeared from the family, leaving Jit's mother to raise him and his sister on her own. Jit's relationship with his mother was a very close one. His career features many mother-related themes that reflect this closeness.

In Bangkok, Jit attended Wat Benjamabawpit School. (On his own he studied classical Thai literature and art and visited the National Library often, to study ancient inscriptions in Pali, Sanskrit and Khmer.) Jit showed his political activism very early in life. At his school he organized a boycott of Chinese products. This hypernationalism on Jit's part must have been due to Field Marshal Piboonsongkram's and Luang Wijitwattakarn's successful nationalist policy, one of the measures of which was to rid the nation of the foreign (Chinese and European) elements that had been dominating the Thai economy prior to the Revolution of 1932. The country's policy prior to the Revolution was mainly laissez-faire, with little governmental interference allowing foreign elements to thrive and then become powerful enough to dominate the country's economy (Barme:152-153).

After Wat Benjamabawpit School Jit attended Triam Udom Suksa High School. After high school, he attended Chulalongkorn University to study languages and history at the Faculty of Arts. He did not follow the directed regimen of university life very well and during his first few years there he did poorly. Although he was recognized by one of his professors, Phya Anumanrajaton , a leading scholar of Thai customs and history, who tolerated Jit's unorthodox behavior of "constant questioning and argumentation" (Reynolds:22) - a behaviour unheard of in Thailand at the time for a student toward a teacher.

At this time Jit started to write essays and articles, which got published in various literary magazines. His name began to be recognized within the literary circle. An American linguist, William Gedney , was one of those deeply struck by Jit's scholarship and talent. He was introduced to Jit by Jit's teachers. It was an introduction that led to Jit living with him and his Thai wife, Choi, for 3 years (1950-1953). Gedney was one of the first American scholars to travel to Thailand. His friendship with Jit was set in a background of the United State's growing interest in the region in the post-warar period that grew from an "economic and strategic" origin to a "national security" importance as the Cold War developed (Reynolds:24). The United States came to see Thailand as one of the key countries used to contain communist China's expansionist threat. The CIA began to aid the Thai authority in producing anti-communist propaganda, and Gedney was recruited to help in one of these projects (Reynolds:24).

Ironically, it was the Americans themselves that helped in the formation of the Russo-Thai relation in 1948, partly as a measure to counter the British neo-colonial policy right after the war (Reynolds:25). Russia's condition was that it would support the acceptance of Thailand into the UN if Thailand were to legalize its communist party (Reynolds:25). So the CPT (Communist Party of Thailand) that was formed in 1942 got legalized, and the Soviet legation got established in Thailand. The interest in Marxist and socialist ideologies increased among the Thai intellectuals (Reynolds:25) that would remain for about a decade, until it was blown away by the "right" wind in the form of the 2 coups (1957-1958) that swept the country in full force. This time of leftist interest might have been able to flourish only due to the power struggle that raged on among the three political figures (Plag Piboonsongkram, Sarit Thanarat, and Pao Sriyanon) that was to boil down to Sarit taking total control in 1958.

During the time of leftist interest, some Thai writers began to use the Marxist and Socialist paradigms to produce a body of publications ranging from poetry and essays to Marxist analysis of Thai history and a forging of Buddhism and scientific socialism. In other words, a kind of sociohistorical analysis of Thai history through the Marxist's and socialist's lookinglasses took place. And attempts were made to forge out a non-capitalistic, non-militaristic, non-elite nationalism for the country (Reynolds:26). But as the post-war decade rolled on, the power struggle's tolerance of the leftist interest reached its limit. In 1952 news of the communist wanting to overthrow the monarchy (which had not seen very bright days during Field Marshal Piboonsongkram's control of the country during the war) spread the headlines, and in that year a law was passed that banned the CPT and prohibited any "communist" act. Jit came of age right in this time of the military government's hardline attitude toward dissent, what some would call an intellectual "dark age" (Reynolds:36).

In 1953, a year after the anti-communist legislation was passed, Jit was a junior and was elected editor of the university yearbook. There were several stories of what Jit was going to do (Reynolds:30), such as changing the cover that was supposed to be a picture of King Rama V (the founder of the university), including an article critical of Buddhism, and including a translation of an article by an American who wrote disfavorably toward the military government's policy, and etc. The printer brought to the attention of the university authorities the possible "communist" content of the yearbook. The publication was canceled and the whole campus was gathered to hear the explanation of why there would be no publication. At the gathering, as Jit was defending himself from the "communist" accusation, eloquently and captivating the crowd, a group of engineering students upon seeing the unfavorable turn of event toward Jit's advantage, grabbed him and threw him over the stage. This "yonbok" incident was splashed all over the newspapers and is still remembered until today. ["Yonbok" means to be thrown onto the ground, a violent version of the original "Yonnam" (to be thrown into the water - a hazing practice at the university)].

As a result of this communist accusation, Jit was arrested and interrogated by the police, and was suspended from the university until the year 1955. Gedney was one of a few people who stood up to support Jit in this incident (Reynolds:31). In doing so he was made out to be a force behind Jit's subversive behaviour (Reynolds:32) - introducing him to Marxist books and such. Because of this episode, he and his wife left Thailand and didn't come back until 5 years later. Jit, during this time of suspension, went to work as a teacher and then as a book and film critic using a pen name "Somchai Preechajareon" (Bot Wikraw). In 1955 he went back to finish his studying and graduated in 1957. Jit was the first student who chose not to go to the graduation ceremony to receive his diploma from the King's hand.

After graduation one source (Reynold's) says Jit went to teach English at the Faculty of Architecture at the Fine Arts University. The other source (Bot Wikraw) says Jit taught literature at a teacher college (Petburee Wittayalongkorn). Aside from teaching Jit published several articles and books, one of which was "The Real Face of Thai Feudalism today" that appeared, among other socialist-leaning articles, in the Thammasat University Faculty of Law yearbook of 1957 (Nitisart B.E. 2500). The appearance of this politically-charged yearbook (and at least one other yearbook at that time) stired up and revealed the polarization that existed among students in various campuses: those with socialist or leftist leanings against those with conservative or reactionary ideologies. Other demonstrations and protests also took place outside the campuses. All these commotions occured while the three players (Piboon, Pao and Sarit) struggled to sort themselves out. Two coups (October 1957 and October 1958) were staged and Sarit finally emerged as the sole power holder.
Sarit began, for the first time, to officially use of the triad "Chat, Satsana, PramahaKasat" (Nation, Religion, and King) to support his military dictatorship government. ["Nation, Religion, and King" was the official national symbols successfully invented by King Rama VI. Luang Wijitwattakan, during Field Marshal Piboonsongkram's leadership, used these symbols to help legitimize Field Marshal Piboonsongkram's regime's authority (Barme:104), but with the addition of Ratatammanoon (the constitution) as the fourth element. The constitution was to become another "sing suksit" (object of spiritual, magical power) (Barme:111). The importance of the monarchy at this time was downplayed. Luang Wijitwattakan would refer only to Great Kings of the past such as King Nareysuan and King Tagsin to emphasize only the "leadership" ability and not the dynastic importance (Barme:127). And in the year 1939, Field Marshal Piboonsongkram declared 24 June (the day of the revolution that changed the form of government) a national day, instead of placing the importance on 10 December when King Rama VII "bestowed" the country with the constitution. The relationship between the military and the crown was not smooth during this time.] Sarit was the first military figure to make use of the triad in its full three-fold power to support his ascent. By so doing he made it possible for the legitimizing power of the one very old institution of Thailand - the monarchy - to be put back to its fullest capacity that would ramain until today.

So with the background of the passing of the Anti-communistic Act in a few years back (in 1952), down to the ascension to absolute power of Sarit and the reestablishment of the monarchy as the ultimate proper authority, a sweeping arrest of some 300 people was made on October 20, 1958. Jit was taken in on October 21 and finally ended up at the Lad Yao prison where he spent the next 6 years of his life. (The photograph shows Jit with his sister and mother when they went to visit him in jail.) But it turned out to be a very productive time for Jit. He ended up writing many books, translating many foreign language works, and meeting others who were imprisoned along with him. He got out of jail on December 30, 1964, stayed around for a short while and then eventually took off to the jungle the next year, around November 1965. Finally, after all these years, Jit got recruited by the CPT (Reynolds:37).

Jit was supposedly shot and killed on May 5, 1966 in Sakonnakorn, near Poopan mountain, a CPT stronghold. The detail of his death is still a mystery. Pirom, Jit's sister, didn't receive Jit's remain from the government until 1981 (Reynolds:40). There's also a shrine for Jit in Sakonnakorn at the spot where he was supposedly killed. His beloved mother, who visited him frequently during his imprisonment, at least lived to see her son's fame rise during the 1973-1976 years (Reynolds:19). It was at this time (the October 14, 1973 event) when Jit's life and work was rediscovered.