Thanom Kittikachorn (, , ; 11 August 1911 – 16 June 2004) was Prime Minister of Thailand from 1963 to 1973. Prior to taking office, he supported and initiated military coups and served as Thailand's defence minister. He was forced to step down after public protests which exploded into violence in 1973. His return from exile in 1976 sparked protests which led to a massacre of demonstrators, followed by a military coup.

Early life

Thanom Kittikachorn was born to Hainamese parents in Tak Province to Khun Amphan Kittikachorn and his wife, Linchee Kittikachorn. His family was of Thai Chinese descent. He attended Wat Koak Plu Municipal School, then was admitted to the Army Cadet Academy. After receiving his commission, he reported for duty with Infantry Regiment VII in Chiang Mai. Thanom later studied at the Cartography School and the Infantry School, and graduated from the National Defense College in its first class.

Rise to power

After the British Raj colonial destructions and serving in the Shan States of Burma during the British Raj, then Lieutenant Colonel Thanom took part in a successful 1947 coup headed by Colonel Sarit Thanarat. He became a regimental commander and was head of the Lopburi military department. He was soon promoted to colonel, commanding the 11th Infantry Division. Thanom was appointed a member of parliament in 1951, his first political role. He was promoted to major general the same year.

In February 1953, Thanom led the suppression of a rebellion against military rule, and was rewarded with promotion to lieutenant general. He represented Thailand at the ceremony to mark the end of the Korean War in July 1953 and was later promoted as commander of the 1st Region Army.

He was appointed deputy cooperatives minister in 1955. Thanom supported Sarit in his coup against the government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, and was subsequently appointed defence minister in Pote Sarasin's puppet regime in 1957. Thanom consolidated his power base as the second military leader and right-hand man of Sarit. A few days after the December 1957 general election, in which the pro-government Sahaphum Party ("United Land") had performed disappointingly, Thanom co-founded the National Socialist Party (Chat Sangkhomniyom). He became the deputy leader of this party, designed to extend the pro-government camp and win over former members of Phibunsongkhram's Seri Manangkhasila Party who had been reelected to parliament as independents.

In 1958, he was made a full general and assumed the offices of prime minister and defence minister. He was prime minister for nine months, after which he was replaced by Sarit himself and made deputy prime minister, defence minister, and armed forces deputy supreme commander.

Prime Minister of Thailand

thumb|left|Prime Minister Thanom (second right) at the 1966 [[Manila Summit Conference|180px]]

Thanom succeeded his predecessor as prime minister one day after Sarit's death in 1963. He subsequently appointed himself commander-in-chief of the army. One year later, he promoted himself to the concurrent ranks of field marshal, admiral of the fleet, and marshal of the air force. Thanom continued the pro-American and anti-communist politics of his predecessor, which helped to ensure massive US economic and financial aid during the Vietnam War. Although he was personally popular, his regime was known for massive corruption. He established and led the United Thai People's Party (Saha Prachathai) in October 1968.

Thanom reappointed himself prime minister in February 1969 after general elections had been completed. The following year saw the beginnings of the 1970s peasant revolts in Thailand. Then, in November 1971, he staged a self-coup, citing the need to suppress communist infiltration. He dissolved parliament and appointed himself Chairman of the National Executive Council, and served as a caretaker government for one year. In December 1972, he appointed himself prime minister for a fourth time, also serving as the defence and foreign ministers. Thanom, his son Colonel Narong, and Narong's father-in-law General Praphas Charusathien became known as the "three tyrants".

1973 uprising and resignation

Public discontent against Thanom's government grew in 1973 following a military poaching incident at Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Tak province, and the expulsion of nine students from Ramkhamhaeng University for publishing satire criticising the government. Fuelled by other grievances with Thanom's government, university students began protesting. In early October, mass student demonstrations prompted by the arrest of 13 students and faculty members forced Thanom to agree to the return of a constitutional government. However, tensions escalated on October 14 when the police and military, in an attempt to disband a demonstration in front of the Grand Palace, open fired on the group - 66 were killed, and 876 were injured. Shortly after, King Bhumibol announced over the radio and television that Thanom had resigned as Prime Minister. Fighting between police and students ended on October 15 when it was announced that Thanom, alongside Narong and Praphas, had fled Thailand.

In Thanom's place, Bhumibol appointed Sanya Dharmasakti as Prime Minister to form a new government and draft a new constitution. In October 1976, Thanom returned to Thailand in the robes of a novice monk, to stay at Bangkok's Wat Bowonniwet. Even though he announced he had no desire to enter politics, his return triggered student protests, which eventually moved onto the campus of Thammasat University. This was only a year after South Vietnam and Thailand's neighbors Laos and Cambodia had fallen to the communists, and right-wing Thais suspected the protesters wished the same fate for their own country. On 6 October 1976, right-wing militants, aided by government security forces, stormed the Thammasat campus, violently broke up the protests, and killed many protesters. That evening, the military seized power from the elected civilian government of Democrat MR Seni Pramoj and installed hard-line royalist Thanin Kraivichien as premier.

Thanom soon left his monkhood, but he remained out of politics. Later in his life, he attempted to rehabilitate his tarnished image and recover properties seized when his government was overthrown.

Controversy arose in early 1999 when it became known that Thanom was appointed as an honorary officer of the Royal Guard by prime minister Chuan Leekpai as recommended by the military. Thanom settled the matter himself by resigning.

Thanom Kittikachorn died in 2004 at the age of 92 in Bangkok General Hospital, after suffering a stroke and a heart attack two years earlier. His family's medical expenses were paid by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which some saw as recognition of Thanom's agreeing to the king's request that he leave the country to end the violence in 1973. Thanom's cremation was held on 25 February 2007 at Wat Debsirin. Queen Sirikit presided over the cremation ceremony, lighting the royal flame on behalf of King Bhumibol. Her youngest daughter, the Princess Chulabhorn, was also present. Thanom's wife died in 2012, aged 96.

Honours

Thanom received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand:

  • 1961 - 80px Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
  • 1965 - 80px Knight Grand Commander of the Honourable Order of Rama
  • 1956 - 80px Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
  • 1955 - 80px Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
  • 1988 - 80px Order of Symbolic Propitiousness Ramkeerati (Special Class)
  • 1972 - 80px Bravery Medal with wreath
  • 1962 - 80px Victory Medal - World War II
  • 1955 - 80px Victory Medal - Korean War (with flames)
  • 1972 - 80px Victory Medal - Vietnam War (with flames)
  • 1969 - 80px Freeman Safeguarding Medal (First Class)
  • 1934 - 80px Safeguarding the Constitution Medal
  • 1943 - 80px Medal for Service Rendered in the Interior
  • 1962 - 80px Border Service Medal
  • 1944 - 80px Chakra Mala Medal
  • 1950 - 80px King Rama VIII Royal Cypher Medal, Third Class
  • 1964 - 80px King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal, First Class
  • 1952 - 80x80px King Rama VII Coronation Medal
  • 1950 - 80x80px King Rama IX Coronation Medal
  • 1932 - 80x80px 150 Years Commemoration of Bangkok Medal
  • 1957 - 80x80px 25th Buddhist Century Celebration Medal
  • 1972 - 80px Red Cross Medal of Appreciation, First Class

Foreign honours

  • :
  • 80x80px Special Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Tripod
  • 80x80px Special Grand Cordon of the Order of the Cloud and Banner
  • 80x80px Special Grand Cordon of the Order of Brilliant Star
  • 80x80px Special Grand Cordon of the Order of Propitious Clouds
  • 80x80px Special Breast of the Order of the Yun Hui
  • :
  • 80x80px Republic of Korea Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation
  • 80x80px Taegeuk of the Order of Military Merit
  • 79x79px Blue Stripes of the Order of Service Merit
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the National Order of Vietnam
  • 80x80px Kim Khanh Decoration, First Class
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Collar of the Order of Sikatuna
  • 80x80px Chief Commander of the Legion of Honor
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit
  • 79x79px Grand Cross with White Decoration of the Order of Military Merit
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Sylvester
  • :
  • 80x80px Commander of the Legion of Merit (4 December 1959)
  • 80x80px Officer of the Legion of Merit (8 February 1955)
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (G.C.C.) (20 January 1961)
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
  • :
  • 80x80px Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Sword
  • :
  • 79x79px Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (O.M.R.I.)
  • :
  • 79x79px Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold
  • :
  • 80x80px Star of Mahaputera, 2nd Class
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol
  • :
  • 80x80px Honorary Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (G.C.M.G.) - Sir.
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Trinity
  • :
  • 80x80px Honorary Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (1962) (S.M.N.) - Tun.
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of George I
  • :
  • 80x80px Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
  • :
  • 80x80px Knight of the Order of the Crown (Iran)
  • :
  • 80x80px Order of the Republic (Tunisia)
  • :
  • 80x80px United Nations Korea Medal

Notes

References

  • KITTIKACHORN, Field Marshal Thanom
  • "Thanom's sometimes turbulent life"
  • Thailand Government

|-