The history of Thailand from 1932 to 1973 was dominated by military dictatorships which were in power for much of the period. The main personalities of the period were the dictator Luang Phibunsongkhram, who allied the country with Japan during the Second World War, and the civilian politician Pridi Phanomyong, who founded Thammasat University and was briefly prime minister after the war.

Thammasat University is a public research university in Thailand with campuses in Tha Phra Chan, Rangsit, Pattaya and Lampang Province. As of 2019, Thammasat University has over 33,000 students enrolled in 33 faculties, colleges, institutes and 2,700 academic staff.