Siddhi Savetsila | |
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สิทธิ เศวตศิลา | |
.jpg) Siddhi Savetsila at theCatshuis in 1980 | |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand | |
| In office 15 January 1986 – 5 August 1986 | |
| Prime Minister | Prem Tinsulanonda |
| President of the United Nations Security Council | |
| In office 1 May 1985 – 31 May 1985 | |
| Preceded by | Javier Arias Stella |
| Succeeded by |
|
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 11 February 1980 – 26 August 1990 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Upadit Pachariyangkun |
| Succeeded by | Subin Pinkayan |
| Minister to theOffice of the Prime Minister | |
| In office 30 January 1980 – 11 February 1980 | |
| Prime Minister | Kriangsak Chamanan |
| Preceded by | Boonrueang Buajaroon Somporn Boonyakup Thawin Rainanon |
| Succeeded by | Peeda Kanasut Yos Devahastin na Ayudhya Boonying Nanthapiwat Pramual Kullamas Porn Thanapoom |
| Secretary-General of theNational Security Council | |
| In office 11 December 1974 – 30 January 1980 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Lek Neawmalee |
| Succeeded by | Prasong Soonsiri |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1919-01-07)7 January 1919 Bangkok, Thailand |
| Died | 5 December 2015(2015-12-05) (aged 96) Bangkok, Thailand |
| Political party | Social Action (1983–1990) |
| Other political affiliations | Free Thai Movement |
| Education | MIT:S.B.,S.M. |
| Occupation | |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Thailand |
| Branch/service | Royal Thai Air Force |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal[1] |
| Battles/wars | Pacific War |
Siddhi Savetsila (Thai:สิทธิ เศวตศิลา,RTGS: Sit Sawetsila,Thai pronunciation:[sìtsàʔwèːtsìʔlaː], 7 January 1919 – 5 December 2015) was a Thai air force officer and politician. After finishing his military career with the rank ofair chief marshal, he served as theforeign minister of Thailand from 1980 to 1990. In 1991, he became a member of thePrivy Council of KingBhumibol Adulyadej. He was thepresident of the united nations security council in 1985 withMom Luang Birabhongse Kasemsri.[2]
Siddhi Savetsila was born inBangkok. He is a member of the Thai aristocracy. His father was a high-ranking official in the royal government. His paternal grandfather wasHenry Alabaster who was the British consul in Siam during the reign of KingRama IV (Mongkut) and then served as an advisor to KingRama V (Chulalongkorn).[3] His mother was an offspring of the influentialBunnag family. He is a direct descendant of Somdet Chao Phraya Borom MahaPrayurawongse.[4]
Siddhi studiedmetallurgic engineering at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), graduating with anS.B. degree in 1943. During theSecond World War, he joined theFree Thai Movement(Seri Thai) which resisted against thede facto occupation of Thailand by Japanese forces. He collected data for the US foreign-intelligence agencyOSS (predecessor of theCIA) and was temporarily detained by the Japanese.[5] Two of Siddhis sisters married US intelligence operatives, one was the wife of former OSS agent Willis Bird and one of CIA officer William Lair.[6] After the end of the war, he returned to the MIT and received hisS.M. degree in 1947.
Siddhi holds honorary doctorate degrees from theUniversity of the Philippines, theNational University of Singapore and five universities in Thailand.
He then served in theRoyal Thai Air Force and rose up to the rank of air chief marshal(phon akat ek).
From 1975 to 1980 he served as secretary-general of theNational Security Council. In this position he assisted Prime MinisterKriangsak Chomanan at the time of theVietnamese invasion of Cambodia during 1978 to 1979.
In 1980, Kriangsak appointed him minister of foreign affairs. He kept this position whenPrem Tinsulanonda took over the premiership a few months later. As Thailand' representative in theUnited Nations (UN) andASEAN, Siddhi advocated a tough line towards Vietnam which was occupying Cambodia after 1979. In 1983, Siddhi was elected member of parliament and in 1985 he took over the leadership of theSocial Action Party (SAP) following the retirement ofKukrit Pramoj. The party did well in the1986 election and Siddhi additionally became deputy prime minister for a short time.
In August 1990, the new Prime MinisterChatichai Choonhavan dismissed Siddhi as he sought a more pragmatic relationship with the communist-ruled countries of Southeast Asia. Siddhi's SAP was in great difficulties during the late 1980s and, in September 1990, Siddhi gave up his leadership. One month later, he completely retired from the parliament and the party, stating that he was tired of politics.[7] In 1991 King Bhumibol appointed him to his privy council.[8]
He died on 5 December 2015 at the age of 96.[9]
He was decorated with theOrder of Chula Chom Klao (first class), theOrder of the White Elephant (special class) and theOrder of the Crown of Thailand (special class), as well as foreign decorations from 14 countries.[8]
On 8 May 2000, he was among the five Free Thai veterans who were awarded theAgency Seal Medallion byCIA directorGeorge Tenet.
_ribbon.svg)
Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of Chula Chom Klao_ribbon.svg)
Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of the White Elephant_ribbon.svg)
Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of the Crown of Thailand_ribbon.svg)
Freemen Safeguarding Medal, First Class_ribbon.svg)
Chakra Mala Medal_ribbon.svg)
King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal, 3rd class
United States :
South Korea :_Gwanghwa_Medal_ribbon.gif)
Order of Diplomatic Service Merit, Gwanghwa Medal
Chile :
Grand Cross of theOrder of Merit
Argentina :
Grand Cross of theOrder of the Liberator San Martin
Austria :
Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash of theDecoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
Malaysia :-_PMN.svg)
Honorary Commander of theOrder of the Defender of the Realm (P.M.N.) (1983)[10]
Portugal:
Grand Cross of theOrder of Prince Henry (G.C.I.H.)
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