Thanom Kittikachorn

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Thanom Kittikachorn (early 1960s)

Thanom Kittikachorn , ( Thai ถนอม กิตติ ขจร , pronunciation: [ tʰànɔ̌ːm kìttìkʰàt͡ɕɔ̌ːn ]; born August 11, 1911 in Ban Nong Luang, Amphoe Mueang Tak , Tak Province ; † June 16, 2004 in Bangkok ) was a Thai army officer and politician. After a military coup, he was temporarily Prime Minister of Thailand from December 1957 to October 1958 and, after the death of his sponsor Sarit Thanarat , again from 1963 to 1973. From 1964 he held the rank of field marshal .

Political career

Thanom Kittikachorn (around 1960)

After training at the Chulachomklao Military Academy , Thanom entered military service in 1929 . In 1947, as a lieutenant colonel, he supported the military coup against the civilian government. In 1951 he was promoted to general. Meanwhile commander of the First Army and deputy to the commander-in-chief of the army, he took part in Sarit Thanarat's coup in 1957 as the “right hand” . He was then Prime Minister and Minister of Defense from December 24, 1957 (officially January 1, 1958) until Sarit, as part of an authoritarian "revolution" on October 20, 1958, took over the government himself. Thanom now served as Sarit's deputy. After Sarit's death, Thanom was prime minister again, from December 8, 1963 to March 11, 1969 and immediately thereafter for a third term, which lasted until October 14, 1973.

Press Conference by Prime Minister Thanom (April 11, 1966)

Thanom played a central role in Thailand in the quarter century of his political activity. He was a representative of the ruling upper class, the military. He followed a harsh pro-American and anti-communist course, supported the USA in the Vietnam War and was an opponent of parliamentarism , including the parliament that was re-approved in 1969. At the same time he promoted trade, economic investment and modernization of the infrastructure. Thanom was supported in his reign by his deputy, General Praphas Charusathien . Together with Thanom's son Colonel Narong Kittikachorn , who was married to Praphat's daughter, they were considered the "Three Tyrants". In addition to their military and political activities, Thanom, Praphas and Narong built up an economic network that was involved in 137 private companies. They also had bank balances of 151 million baht, 3% of the nation's assets.

Thanom visits the Netherlands (1968)

On November 17, 1971, he undertook another coup from the position of Prime Minister to suspend the Constitution and disempower Parliament. He justified this with the need to save the country from internal decomposition and the pro-communist guerrilla movement . He concentrated all power on himself, imposed martial law and dissolved parliament. Towards the end of his tenure, however, he lost acceptance even in the military, which was tired of the dominance of Thanom and Praphas. On October 14, 1973, his military junta was overthrown after student protests that escalated into a popular uprising that killed 77 people. King Bhumibol Adulyadej advised Thanom to go into exile .

In July 1974, the new government of Sanya Dharmasakti confiscated parts of the assets of Thanom, Narong and Praphas that they believed had been illegally acquired. Thanom attempted to return to Thailand in December of that year. He was arrested at the airport and sent back to Singapore the next day.

Return from exile

The attempts by the civil successor governments to implement democratic reforms in Thailand have met with limited success. On September 19, 1976, Thanom returned from Singapore . This was ostensibly justified with his wish to be ordained a monk in Wat Bowonniwet , the main temple of the kingdom favored by the crown. The king and queen visited him there. Thanom's return led to student demonstrations, which were bloodily suppressed in the massacre at Thammasat University on October 6, 1976 following measures taken by the government, which was reorganized on September 23, 1976 . According to official information, 46 people were killed. Then the military took over again. However, Thanom withdrew into private life.

Last years

Thanom went public again when he was controversially nominated for the Royal Guard of Honor by Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai in March 1999 . Thanom waived the appointment.

In January 2004 he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. He did not recover from the brain surgery. He died on June 16, 2004 in Bangkok General Hospital at the age of 92.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cabinet.thaigov.go.th: Biography Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn ( Memento of the original from May 29, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th
  2. ↑ Harold E. Smith, Gayla S. Nieminen, May Kyi Win: Historical Dictionary of Thailand. Scarecrow Press, 2005, 258. Keyword “Thanom Kittikachorn”.
  3. ^ A b c Michael Leifer: Dictionary of the Modern Politics of South-East Asia. Routledge, 1995, p. 164. Keyword “Thanom Kittikachorn”.
  4. ↑ Patit Paban Mishra: The History of Thailand. ABC-CLIO, 2010, p. 123.
  5. ↑ Akira Suehiro: Capitalist Development in Postwar Thailand. Commercial Bankers, Industrial Elite, and Agribusiness Groups. In: Southeast Asian Capitalists. Cornell Southeast Asia Program, 1992, p. 50.
  6. ↑ Peter G. Warr, Bhanupong Nidhiprabha: Thailand's Macro Economic Miracle. Stable Adjustment and Sustained Growth. The World Bank, Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 14.
  7. ↑ Government seizes assets of the 'Three Tyrants'. In: Chronicle of Thailand. Headline News Since 1946. Editions Didier Millet, Singapore 2010, p. 200.
  8. ↑ Thanom's sneaky return cut short. In: Chronicle of Thailand. Headline News Since 1946. Editions Didier Millet, Singapore 2010, p. 201.
  9. ↑ Chris Baker, Pasuk Phongpaichit: A History of Thailand. Cambridge University Press, 2005, p. 194.
  10. ↑ NYTimes: Thanom Kittikachorn, Ex-Thai Leader, 92

Web links

Note on Thai names : This article addresses people by their first name.
personal data
SURNAME Thanom Kittikachorn
ALTERNATIVE NAMES ถนอม กิตติ ขจร (Thai)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Thai general and politician
DATE OF BIRTH August 11, 1911
PLACE OF BIRTH Ban Nong Luang, Tak Province
DATE OF DEATH June 16, 2004
Place of death Bangkok