Thanin Kraivichien

Thanin Kraivichien PC
ธานินทร์ กรัยวิเชียร


14th Prime Minister of Thailand
In office October 8, 1976 – October 19, 1977
Monarch	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Preceded by	Seni Pramoj
Succeeded by	Kriangsak Chomanan
Personal details
Born	(1927-04-05) April 5, 1927 Bangkok, Siam
Nationality	Thai
Spouse(s)	Karen Anderson

Thanin Kraivichien (born April 5, 1927 in Bangkok, Thai: ธานินทร์ กรัยวิเชียร rtgs: Thanin Kraiwichian, Thai pronunciation: [tʰaː.nin krai.wí.t͡ɕʰian]; first name also spelled "Tanin", last name "Kraivixien" or "Kraivichian") is a Thai lawyer and politician. He was the 14th prime minister of Thailand between 1976 and 1977. Since then, he has been a member of the Privy Council.

Family and education

Thanin is a son of Hae and Pa-ob Kraivichien. His father was a Chinese-born merchant and owner of one of the biggest pawnshops in Bangkok.^[1]

Thanin studied law at Thammasat University, graduating in 1948. He then went to the London School of Economics to continue with his law studies. He graduated in 1953, and in 1958 was called to the Bar at Gray's Inn. In Britain, he met Karen Anderson, a native of Denmark, whom he married. They five children.^[1]

Public service and political career

After he returned to Thailand in 1954, Thanin worked in the ministry of justice, becoming an associate judge. He rose quickly, finally becoming President of the Supreme Court of Thailand. Additionally, he taught law at the Thammasat and Chulalongkorn University and the Thai bar association. As an avocation, he published books that admonished of the dangers of communism.^[1]

After the democratic uprising against military dictatorship in 1973, Thanin was a member of the transitional legislative assembly appointed by the king. He also became a member of the far-right anti-communist Nawaphon movement.^[2] He had a TV show in which he attacked communism, the students' movement, and progressive politicians.^[3]

After the Thammasat University massacre of 6 October 1976, the democratically elected prime minister Seni Pramoj was toppled by a military coup led by Admiral Sangad Chaloryu. Two days later, King Bhumibol Adulyadej appointed his favourite Thanin to be the interim prime minister. Thanin insisted on selecting his cabinet himself and rejected most of the military junta's nominations. The military only occupied the positions of deputy prime minister and deputy minister of defence. Thanin's was the first Thai cabinet in which women held ministerial posts: Wimolsiri Chamnarnvej and Lursakdi Sampatisiri. Thanin was seen as honest and intelligent, but also as eminently ideological and politically extreme.^[1] After his taking office, he sent police special forces to notoriously liberal book shops, and ordered the confiscation and burning of 45,000 books, including works of Thomas More, George Orwell and Maxim Gorky.^[4]

He announced that Thailand could only return to democratic rule after 12 years. The parliament was dissolved and all political parties outlawed. Thanin's crackdown on trade unions, progressive students' and farmers' associations drove their activists into the underground structures of the Communist Party of Thailand. Instead of weakening the communists, it fuelled their armed struggle against the government.^[5]

In March 1977, a group of younger army officers known as the "Young Turks", who had an interest in political matters, tried to topple Thanin. Their attempted coup failed. On 20 October 1977, however, Admiral Sangad again seized power and pressed Thanin to resign. The military justified their intervention because Thanin's government had divided the country, had virtually no public support, the economic situation had worsened and people in general disagreed with such a long-term suspension of democracy.^[6] King Bhumibol immediately appointed Thanin to his Privy Council.

References

1 2 3 4 Nelson Peagam (1976), "Judge picks up the reigns", Far Eastern Economic Review, p. 407
↑ Jim Glassman (1999), Thailand at the margins: State power, uneven development, and industrial transformation, University of Minnesota, p. 239
↑ Chris Baker; Pasuk Phongpaichit (2009), A History of Thailand (Second ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 192, ISBN 978-0521-767-682
↑ Elliott Kulick; Dick Wilson (1996), Time for Thailand: Profile of a New Success, Bangkok: White Lotus, p. 27
↑ Chris J. Dixon (1999), The Thai Economy: Uneven Development and Internationalisation, 98: Routledge
↑ Chai-Anan Samudavanija (1982), The Thai Young Turks, Singapur: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, p. 34

Political offices
Preceded by Seni Pramoj	Prime Minister of Thailand 1976–1977	Succeeded by Kriangsak Chomanan

Prime Ministers of Thailand (List)

	King Rama VII	Phraya Manopakorn Nititada Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena

	King Rama VIII	Plaek Phibunsongkhram Khuang Aphaiwong Tawee Boonyaket Seni Pramoj Khuang Aphaiwong Pridi Banomyong

	King Rama IX	Thawan Thamrongnawasawat Khuang Aphaiwong Plaek Phibunsongkhram Pote Sarasin Thanom Kittikachorn Sarit Thanarat Thanom Kittikachorn Sanya Dharmasakti Seni Pramoj Kukrit Pramoj Seni Pramoj Thanin Kraivichien Kriangsak Chomanan Prem Tinsulanonda Chatichai Choonhavan Anand Panyarachun Suchinda Kraprayoon Meechai Ruchuphan† Anand Panyarachun Chuan Leekpai Banharn Silpa-archa Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Chuan Leekpai Thaksin Shinawatra Chitchai Wannasathit† Thaksin Shinawatra Surayud Chulanont Samak Sundaravej Somchai Wongsawat Chaovarat Chanweerakul† Abhisit Vejjajiva Yingluck Shinawatra Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan† Prayut Chan-o-cha

"italics" indicate military officeholders "†" indicate acting or caretaker officeholders.

History of Thailand since 1973

Politics	Military and institutions	Key events

Prime Ministers of Thailand Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn Sanya Dharmasakti Seni Pramoj Kukrit Pramoj Thanin Kraivichien General Kriangsak Chomanan General Prem Tinsulanonda General Chatichai Choonhavan Anand Panyarachun Suchinda Kraprayoon Chuan Leekpai Banharn Silpa-archa Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Thaksin Shinawatra General Surayud Chulanont Samak Sundaravej Somchai Wongsawat Abhisit Vejjajiva Yingluck Shinawatra General Prayut Chan-o-cha	Military dictators Field Marshal Praphas Charusathien Colonel Narong Kittikachorn General Arthit Kamlang-ek General Sunthorn Kongsompong General Sonthi Boonyaratglin Institutions Constitution of Thailand Monarchy of Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyadej National Council for Peace and Order	Key events History of Thailand (1932–1973) 6 October 1976 Massacre 1976 Thai coup d'état March 1977 Thai coup d'état October 1977 Thai coup d'état Vietnamese border raids in Thailand 1981 Thai military rebellion 1985 Thai coup d'état 1991 Thai coup d'état National Peace Keeping Council Black May (1992) 1997 Asian financial crisis Premiership of Thaksin Shinawatra Policies of the Shinawatra administration South Thailand insurgency 2005–2006 Thai political crisis 2006 Thai coup d'état 2008–2010 Thai political crisis 2010 Thai political protests 2013–14 Thai political crisis 2014 Thai coup d'état

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 69198282 LCCN: n82112050 SUDOC: 171680588 BNF: cb14848896x (data)

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 04, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.