Thanom Kittikachorn

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Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn (August 11, 1912 -June 16, 2004, Thai ถนอม กิตติขจร) was a military dictator of Thailand.

An avuncular-looking army officer with iron-grey hair and a toothy grin, Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn was a staunch anti-Communist who oversaw a decade of harsh military rule in Thailand, from 1963 to 1973.

Born in Ban Nhong Ploung, Tak province, Thanom entered the military in 1929, commanded a battalion during the Thai invasion of the Shan States during the Burma Campaign of the Second World War, and became the commander of a division in 1950. After he supported the military coup of Sarit Dhanarajata, he became Minister of Defence and also briefly Prime Minister in 1958. After Sarit died in 1963, Thanom succeeded him as Prime Minister, continuing the pro-American and anti-Communist politics of his predecessor. In 1971 he increased his powers by a military takeover of the government. However, this led to protests, and he was finally forced to resign after a massacre of pro-democracy students claimed 77 lives on October 14, 1973. Thanom voluntarily went into exile.

Thanom came to be known as one of Thailand's so-called "Three Tyrants" when he ran the country in the 1960s and early 1970s with his son, Col. Narong Kittikachorn, and Narong's father-in-law, Field Marshal Praphas Charusathien.

Thanom, who also held the rank of field marshal, was generally seen as the more conciliatory partner, and Praphas the hard-liner. A dapper, silver-haired man with a cheery grin, Thanom often served as a peacemaker between opposing political factions and was generally respected even by his opponents.

Thanom's regime - like Sarit's - was notable for massive corruption and close ties to the United States because of their shared drive against communism.

The "gang of three" were forced into exile following a bloody student-led uprising in October 1973. They were accused of nepotism, massive corruption and ordering the massacre of protesters in the streets of Bangkok during the uprising.

Thanom was allowed to return to Thailand from Singapore in late 1976 to become a Buddhist monk. His return sparked new protests by pro-democracy student groups. Many believed his return was an attempt to set the stage for a right wing counter-revolution.

Continuing protests eventually led to a brutal massacre of student protesters by police and right wing groups at Bangkok's Thammasat University. This was followed by a military coup, which installed a right-wing government.

Neither Thanom nor his former ruling partners would ever resume any further political role. He made an effort to rehabilitate his public image - arguing that he was not responsible for the 1973 violence - and sought to recover his property that was seized when he was overthrown.

In March 1999, Thanom was nominated to become a member of the honorary royal guard by Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, which was a highly controversial act. Thanom turned down the appointment, which ended the matter.

Thanom died on June 16, 2004 in the Bangkok General Hospital, after suffering a stroke and a heart attack in January 2004.

[edit] References

• KITTIKACHORN, Field Marshal Thanom International Who's Who. accessed September 4, 2006.

Preceded by: Pote Sarasin	Prime Minister of Thailand 1958	Succeeded by: Sarit Dhanarajata
Preceded by: Sarit Dhanarajata	Prime Minister of Thailand 1963–1973	Succeeded by: Sanya Dharmasakti