Chuan Leekpai

Chuan Leekpai MPCh MVM ThChW (, , , ; born 28 July 1938) is a Thai politician who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 1992 to 1995, and from 1997 to 2001. He was President of the National Assembly of Thailand and speaker of the Thai House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023; he also held the latter role from 1986 to 1988.

As the leader of the Democrat Party, Chuan was elected in September 1992, becoming Thailand's first prime minister to come to power without either aristocratic or military backing. His first administration consisted of a five party coalition of the Democrat, New Aspiration, Palang Dhamma, Social Action, and Social Unity Parties until he was defeated in the 1995 election, but assumed power in late-1997 following the fall of the Chavalit Yongchaiyudh administration, which was held responsible for the economic crisis that beset Thailand that year. Although criticised as a slow actor and allowing numerous corruption scandals, Chuan managed to meet factional demands and extend Thailand's social security system.

Early life

Chuan was born to ethnic Chinese parents on 28 July 1938 in Mueang Thap Thiang, Trang province, Thailand, to a teacher, Niyom Leekpai and Tuan Leekpai, Chuan has nine siblings and is the third child in the family. He would later move to the temple school at Wat Amarintraram in Bangkok where he lived for six years. He went on to study law at Thammasat University, Bangkok and later became a barrister-at-laws of the Thai Bar Association. Chuan is ethnic Hokkien, coming from a third-generation Thai Chinese.

Political career

Chuan joined the Democrat Party at the age of 31 and was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1969 in his home province of Trang. He first entered the cabinet as deputy minister of justice during Prime Minister Seni Pramoj's short-lived government. Under Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda, Chuan also served successively as justice minister, commerce minister, agricultural minister, and education minister.

Chuan was defeated in his first bid to become Democrat Party leader in 1979, coming in third place after Thanat Khoman and Uthai Pimchaichon. He later became party leader in 1991, when he defeated Marut Bunnag in a leadership election.

Under Chuan, the Democrat Party's popularity in southern Thailand increased significantly. By 1996, the party won all but five of the region's constituencies. Anthropologist Mark Askew argues that Chuan's personal popularity in the region, stemming from public perceptions of his honesty and his southern roots, became one of the most critical factors in attracting support for the party.

First premiership (1992–1995)

In the aftermath of Bloody May, the Democrat Party won a plurality of seats in the September 1992 elections, with 79 seats, compared to the Chart Thai Party with 77 seats. Chuan formed a coalition government with the New Aspiration Party and Ekkaparb parties. The Phalang Dharma Party joined his cabinet after the New Aspiration Party left in 1994.

Key policies of Chuan's first administration included:

Engagement with Burma. As with all previous administrations, the Chuan government employed a policy of constructive engagement with the military government of Burma, provoking much criticism.
Reforestation. A huge five million rai reforestation programme in honour of King Bhumibol's 50th anniversary of accession to the throne (1996) was initiated in 1994. The reforestation programme was officially declared a failure, with less than 40 percent of the target realised. The director-general of the RFD was suspended from his post for alleged corruption.
Emphasis on national economic stability, decentralisation of the administrative powers to the rural provinces, fostering income, opportunity and economic development distribution to the regions.

The first Chuan administration fell when members of the cabinet were implicated in profiting from Sor Phor Kor 4-01 land project documents distributed in Phuket Province. Fierce public and press criticism and dissolution of parliament were the reasons for his administration's downfall.

Second premiership (1997–2001)

left|thumb|With United States President [[Bill Clinton in Wellington, New Zealand at the APEC summit, 1999]]

Chuan became prime minister for the second time on 9 November 1997, replacing Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, with a shaky line-up of a six party coalition and 12 independent defectors from a seventh party, Prachakorn Thai. The ruling coalition increased its 20-seat majority in October 1998, by including the Chart Pattana Party.

Economic reform

Chuan's second government enacted several economic reforms for which it was severely criticised. Chuan's "bitter medicine" policies brought little economic relief in the years following the 1997 economic crisis, particularly at the grassroots level. Opinions emerged that the Democrats were only helping big financial institutions and making the country more dependent of foreign investors. Nevertheless, many of the reforms recommended by the IMF were in line with the policies of market economies such as Australia and New Zealand. The subsequent government's economic growth was based even more strongly on selling national assets and private organisations abroad such as the Shin Corporation, while most of its economic gains were built on the frugality of the Democrat policy platform. Thai Rak Thai painted the Democrats as having "open contempt" for the plight of the common Thai which set off a revenge vote against the party during the 2001 election, which gave a landslide victory to Thaksin Shinawatra.

Education reform

During Chuan's second administration the National Education Act 1999 was enacted.

Human rights

Chuan's second government came under fire for the violent arrest of 223 villagers protesting the Pak Mun Dam. Historian Nidhi Iawsriwong noted that "the present situation is as worse as that of the May event (the bloody crackdown of anti-government protesters in 1992). We have a tyrannical government that is arrogant and not accountable to the public. This is dangerous because the government still sees itself as legitimate and claims that it is democratic. In fact, it is as brutal as the military government".

Controversy arose in early 1999 when it became known that Chuan nominated Thanom Kittikachorn to the post of honorary royal guard, provoking widespread criticism. The situation was resolved when Thanom resigned. Thanom was one of the "three tyrants" who ruled Thailand from 1963 to 1973 and ordered the massacre of pro-democracy students on 14 October 1973, after which he was ordered to step down and be exiled by King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

In April 2000, the editor in chief of the Chiang Mai daily newspaper Pak Nua was shot and seriously wounded in an attempted murder, but recovered. The editor believed that his repeated critical reporting on the government led to the assault.

Corruption

thumb|Chuan Leekpai (right) as [[President of the National Assembly of Thailand from 2019 to 2023]]

Although generally regarded as relatively clean and honest when compared to other Thai administrations, Chuan's government found itself plagued with corruption scandals and rumours. Key cases of corruption included:

Rakkiat Sukhthana, Health Minister, was charged with taking a five million baht (US$125,000) bribe from a drug firm and forcing state hospitals to buy medicine at exorbitant prices. After being found guilty, he jumped bail and went into hiding.
Suthep Thaugsuban, Minister of Transport and Communications, whose brokering of illegal land deals caused the fall of the Chuan 1 government, was linked to abuse of funds in setting up a co-operative Surat Thani Province.
The "edible fence" seed scandal, in which massive overpricing of seeds distributed to rural areas happened. The Deputy Minister of Agriculture was forced to resign.
The Salween logging scandal, where up to 20,000 trees were felled illegally in the Salween forest in Mae Hong Son. Some of them turned up in the compound of the Democrat party's office in Phichit Province.
Chuan himself was found by the National Counter-Corruption Commission to have undeclared shareholdings in a rural cooperative.

Career after the premiership

Chuan remains an active politician, continuing to serve as a Democrat party-list MP since he stepped down as prime minister. After the Democrat Party joined the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government in 2019, Chuan became speaker of the House of Representatives.

He was elected to his 18th term as MP in the 2026 general election. To date, he has never failed to be elected in any parliamentary election that he contested.

Personal life

Chuan Leekpai has one son, , with Pakdiporn Sujaritkul, his common-law wife. His mother tongue is Southern Thai, but his proficiency in Central Thai is native level. He is able to speak English well.

Although Mr Chuan is known for his honesty and humble lifestyle, the same cannot be said about his son, who is known to be rather extravagant. Recently, in 2023, his eldest son came under investigation for crypto fraud of over 15 million THB.

Chuan enjoys sketching and painting. His drawings have been exhibited by the Ministry of Culture.

Awards and decorations

National honours

:
80px Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
80px Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
80px Knight Grand Commander (Second Class, higher grade) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
Order of Symbolic Propitiousness Ramkeerati
80px Recipient of the King Rama IX Coronation Medal
80x80px 25th Buddhist Century Celebration Medal
80x80px Serving Free Peoples Medal
80px First Class (Gold Medal) of the Red Cross Medal of Appreciation

Foreign decorations

:
80px Grand Collar (Raja) of the Order of Sikatuna (1993)
:
80px Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun (1999)
:
80px Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (1999)
:
80px Grand Cross of the Order of Rubén Dario (2000)
:
80px Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania (2000)
80px Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (2001)