Thanom Kittikachorn

Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn (ถนอม กิตติขจร,, ; 11 August 1911 – 16 June 2004) was the leader of Thailand from 1963 to 1973, during which he staged a self-coup, until public protests which exploded into violence forced him to step down.

After serving in the Shan States of Burma during the British Colonial destruction, 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.

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 Thanom succeeded his predecessor 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 coup against his own government, 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".

Public discontent grew, along with demands for a general election to choose a new parliament.

Student-led demands for a return to constitutional government led to days of violence followed by the sudden downfall of his government.

Thanom and the other "tyrants" flew to exile in the United States and Singapore.

Thanom's departure was followed by a restoration of democratic rule in Thailand.

His return from exile in 1976 sparked protests which led to a massacre of demonstrators, followed by a military coup.

Thanom Kittikachorn was born in Tak Province to Khun Amphan Kittikachorn and his wife, Mrs 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.

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.

He was soon promoted to colonel, commanding the 11th Infantry Division.