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Chatichai Choonhavan | |
|---|---|
| ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ | |
 Chatichai in 1989 | |
| 17thPrime Minister of Thailand | |
| In office 4 August 1988 – 23 February 1991 | |
| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Preceded by | Prem Tinsulanonda |
| Succeeded by | Sunthorn Kongsompong(as Head of theNational Peacekeeping Council) Anand Panyarachun |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand | |
| In office 5 August 1986 – 3 August 1988 | |
| Prime Minister | Prem Tinsulanonda |
| Minister of Industry | |
| In office 5 October 1976 – 6 October 1976 | |
| Prime Minister | Seni Pramoj |
| Succeeded by | Perm Limpasawad |
| In office 20 April 1976 – 23 September 1976 | |
| Prime Minister | Seni Pramoj |
| Preceded by | Surin Thepkanjana |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 17 March 1975 – 21 April 1976 | |
| Prime Minister | Kukrit Pramoj |
| Preceded by | Bhichai Rattakul[1] |
| Succeeded by | Bhichai Rattakul |
| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 15 December 1972 – 20 January 1975 | |
| Prime Minister | Thanom Kittikachorn Sanya Dharmasakti |
| Preceded by | Surin Thepkanjana |
| Succeeded by | Lek Nana |
| Member of theHouse of Representatives | |
| In office 13 September 1992 – 6 May 1998 | |
| Constituency | Nakhon Ratchasima 1st District |
| In office 18 April 1983 – 23 February 1991 | |
| Constituency | Nakhon Ratchasima 1st District |
| In office 26 January 1975 – 6 October 1976 | |
| Constituency | Nakhon Ratchasima 1st District |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sombun Choonhavan (1920-04-05)5 April 1920 Bangkok, Krung Thep, Siam (nowPom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok, Thailand) |
| Died | 6 May 1998(1998-05-06) (aged 78) |
| Party |
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| Spouse | Boonruen Choonhavan |
| Children |
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| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Thailand |
| Branch/service |  Royal Thai Army |
| Years of service | 1940–1958 |
| Rank | |
| Battles/wars | |
Chatichai Choonhavan (Thai:ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ;RTGS: Chatchai Chunhawan,pronounced[tɕʰâːt.tɕʰāːjtɕʰūn.hà.wān]; 5 April 1920 – 6 May 1998) was a Thai army officer, diplomat and politician. From 1986 to 1991, he was the chairman of theThai Nation Party and served as thePrime Minister of Thailand from August 1988 until the1991 coup d'état.
Chatichai was the only son of Field MarshalPhin Choonhavan andKhunying Wibunlak Choonhavan.[3] His father was theCommander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army[4] from 1948 to 1954 and exerted a strong influence on the country's politics and economy. Chatichai had four sisters. The eldest was married to GeneralPhao Siyanon, who was one of Thailand's strongmen during the 1950s. Another sister marriedPramarn Adireksarn, who later became Chatichai's political ally.[citation needed] Chatichai married Boonruen Sopoj, a relative and confidante of Princess MotherSrinagarindra—the mother of kingsAnanda Mahidol andBhumibol Adulyadej.[5]
Chatichai and Boonruen had two children, daughter Wanee Hongpraphas, and their son political scientist, social activist, and former senatorKraisak Choonhavan.[6]
The former deputy prime ministerKorn Dapparansi is his nephew.[7]
Chatichai studied atDebsirin School, a long-standing, prestigious, all-boys school in Bangkok, and at theChulachomklao Royal Military Academy. He entered active military service as second lieutenant andcavalryplatoon leader in 1940. DuringWorld War II, he was assigned to thePhayap Army ("Northwest Army"), under the command of his father Phin, and participated in the invasion of theShan States ofBurma. After the war, he continued his training at the Thai Army Cavalry School and theUnited States Army Armor School inFort Knox, Kentucky.[citation needed] In 1949, he was appointedmilitary attaché inWashington, DC.[8] At the age of 31, Chatichai was a major-general.
In 1951, the military, led by Chatichai's father and his brother-in-law, Phao Siyanon, effectively assumed power in Thailand in a "silent coup". They used their political influence to extend their activities to the economic sphere. Chatichai served in theKorean War as the commander of the 1st Cavalry Battalion. Then, he became director and commander of the Thai Army Armor School. In 1957, Field MarshalSarit Thanarat—a rival of Chatichai's father and brother-in-law—staged a coup d'état against the government of Prime MinisterPlaek Phibunsongkhram. He ousted the Phin-Phao clique and filled the important political and military posts with his own followers.[citation needed] The new regime accused the Choonhavan clan (also known as theSoi Rajakru clan, after the family's residence) of having embezzled millions of dollars of public funds and hiding them in Swiss bank accounts. This ended Chatichai's military career.[4]
Chatichai was transferred to the diplomatic service and assigned to the relatively unimportant post of ambassador to Argentina.[4] During the following years he consecutively served as the Thai ambassador to Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, Yugoslavia, theHoly See[9] and theUnited Nations. In 1972, he returned to Bangkok to become the director of theForeign Ministry's political department.[10]
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In the government of Field MarshalThanom Kittikachorn, Chatichai was appointed deputy minister of foreign affairs in 1972. During thehostage-taking in the Israeli embassy by a terrorist commando of the PalestinianBlack September organisation in December 1972, he and the Agriculture MinisterDawee Chullasapya negotiated with the terrorists. In exchange for the release of the Israeli diplomats, they lent themselves as guarantees and accompanied the terrorists on their freedom flight toCairo.[11] Chatichai continued as deputy foreign minister after the1973 democratic uprising, serving in the interim cabinet ofSanya Dharmasakti. In December 1973, one and a half years before Thailand officially established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, Chatichai and Dawee—who was thenminister of defence—were the first Thai government officials to visitBeijing. There, they negotiated a contract for the supply of 50,000 tons of diesel oil at a "friendship price" and promised to remove trade barriers between the two nations.[12][13]
In 1974, Chatichai and his in-lawsPramarn Adireksarn andSiri Siriyothin—also major generals—founded the conservative and aggressively anti-communistThai Nation Party (Chart Thai).[14] It ran in theJanuary 1975 general election, the first democratic election after the end of military dictatorship, and became the third-strongest party. Chatichai was elected member of parliament, representing a constituency inNakhon Ratchasima Province. The Thai Nation Party joined a government coalition underKukrit Pramoj.[citation needed] Chatichai served as minister of foreign affairs from 17 March 1975 to 21 April 1976.[15] After thesnap election in April 1976, in which the Thai Nation Party expanded its share of seats significantly, he was minister of industry in the government ofSeni Pramoj until it was overthrown by a military coup d'état after theThammasat University massacre of 6 October 1976. From 1980 to 1983, Chatichai served as industry minister under Prime MinisterPrem Tinsulanonda. After three years of opposition, the party returned to government and Chatichai wasdeputy prime minister under Prem.[10][failed verification]
The Thai Nation Party won the most votes in the1988 Thai general election, resulting in Chatichai being appointed prime minister on 4 August 1988. This made him the first democratically elected head of government after 12 years of dictatorship and "semi-democracy". His government improved relations with communist-ruled Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, which had been Thailand's enemies during theCold War. It promoted international trade with these countries and others. Chatichai's slogan was to turn Indochina "from a battlefield into a marketplace".[16] It also supported theSihanouk-led Government of Cambodia. Chatichai's government initiated many infrastructure projects, including an expansion of the telecommunications network in partnership with the state-ownedTelephone Organization of Thailand (TOT), development of theEastern seaboard of Thailand, and road and rail networks in partnership with theMass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) in theGreater Bangkok Area. During Chatichai's premiership, Thailand's economy saw annual growth rates of up to 13 percent.[9][failed verification]
Under Chatichai's government, there was rampant corruption.[17] The parties and politicians in Chatichai's coalition scrambled overtly over the distribution of public funds. The Thai press dubbed them the "buffet cabinet",[18] referring to their "take-what-you-like" mentality.[19] Chatichai's standard answer whenever he was confronted by the press with difficulties or corruption allegations against members of his government was "no problem".[9] A parody variant, "no plomplam", became the title of a popular song by folk rock singerAed Carabao and entered Thai common parlance.[20] Chatichai was heavily criticised when he tried to downplay the damage caused byTyphoon Gay, which resulted in 360 deaths, in the same way.[21]
The formerly right-wing Thai Nation Party had de-ideologized itself and now represented the interests of the rising class of provincial businessmen. It pursued policies that boosted their businesses and involved them in lucrative government contracts. It advocated a reinforcement of the role of parliament, in which politicians from the provinces were strongly represented, in contrast with the unelected power elites in the administration and military which had made political decisions during the tenure of Chatichai's predecessor, Prem Tinsulanonda. Chatichai's government emphasised the economic development of the periphery at the expense of Bangkok's big businesses and military expenditures, which it tried to cut.[22] These policies challenged the country's traditional elites.[23][failed verification]
On 23 February 1991, the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, GeneralSunthorn Kongsompong, and the generals of the Chulalongkorn Military Academy class 5,Suchinda Kraprayoon,Issarapong Noonpakdi, andKaset Rojananil, formed theNational Peace Keeping Council to depose Chatichai's government in a coup d'état. They accused the elected government of massive corruption and abuse of power for its own advantage. They charged several cabinet members, including Chatichai, with "unusual wealth".[citation needed] At the same time, they acted in the interest of the traditional elite of the bureaucracy, military and Bangkokian business circles, whose influence the Chatichai government had sought to curtail.[24][25] The coup group called the form of governance under Chatichai "parliamentary dictatorship"[26] and alleged a moral decline.[27]
Chatichai temporarily went into exile in the United Kingdom. After his return, he continued his political activity. After the1992 Black May, he founded theNational Development Party and was again elected in his constituency inNakhon Ratchasima.[citation needed]
Chatichai was known for his fondness ofcigars, fine wines, andHarley-Davidson motorcycles.[9] Even in old age, he practised several sports and visited parties and discothèques, earning him a reputation of being a playboy.[28][29]
On 6 May 1998, at the age of 78, Chatichai died fromliver cancer in a hospital in London.[9]
received the following royal decorations in theHonours System of Thailand:
_ribbon.svg)
Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of Chula Chom Klao_ribbon.svg)
Knight Grand Cordon of the Most ExaltedOrder of the White Elephant_ribbon.svg)
Knight Grand Cordon of the Most NobleOrder of the Crown of Thailand_ribbon.svg)
Bravery Medal_ribbon.svg)
Victory Medal –Franco-Thai War_ribbon.svg)
Victory Medal –Pacific War_ribbon.svg)
Victory Medal –Korean War_ribbon.svg)
Freemen Safeguarding Medal (First Class)_ribbon.svg)
Safeguarding the Constitution Medal_ribbon.svg)
Chakra Mala Medal_ribbon.svg)
King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal,1st class
UN :
United Nations Korea Medal (1952)
Japan :_3Class_BAR.svg)
Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class (1955)
Grand Cordon of theOrder of the Rising Sun (1987)
Taiwan :
Order of the Yunhui, Fourth Class (1957)
Myanmar :
Maha Tharay Sithu (1958)
Austria :
Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold of theDecoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria with Sash (1964)
Argentina :
Grand Cross of theOrder of the Liberator General San Martín (1969)
Philippines :
Grand Collar of theOrder of Sikatuna (1971)
Malaysia :
Honorary Grand Commander of theOrder of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (1973)[30]
South Korea :_Grand_Gwanghwa_Medal_ribbon.gif)
Order of Diplomatic Service Merit, Grand Gwanghwa Medal (1989)
Sweden :_-_Commander_Grand_Cross.svg)
Commander Grand Cross of theRoyal Order of the Polar Star (1990).svg)
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{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link)| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Thailand 1988–1991 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
