Kriangsak Chomanan
Encyclopedia
General Kriangsak Chomanan (17 December 191723 December 2003) served as prime minister of Thailand
from 1977 to 1980.
A professional soldier
, General Kriangsak fought against the communists in both the Korean War
and the Vietnam War
. In 1977, as the Supreme Commander of the Thai army, he staged a successful coup d'etat
against prime minister Tanin Kraivixien
.
General Kriangsak is widely credited for defusing a long-running Communist insurgency in northern Thailand. Allegedly, he allowed the People's Republic of China to ship arms to the rebel Khmer Rouge
in Cambodia in exchange for the PRC withdrawing its support of the communists in Thailand. However this is denied by the Thai government, which cites his offer of amnesty
as the primary reason.
General Kriangsak voluntarily retired in February 1980 and was succeeded by General Prem Tinsulanonda
.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
from 1977 to 1980.
A professional soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, General Kriangsak fought against the communists in both the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. In 1977, as the Supreme Commander of the Thai army, he staged a successful coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
against prime minister Tanin Kraivixien
Tanin Kraivixien
Tanin Kraivixien or Thanin Kraivixien was the prime minister of Thailand between 1976 and 1977. Tanin is a son of Hae and Pa-ob Kraivixien, and is of Chinese-Thai descent. Tanin studied law at Thammasat University, graduating in 1948. He then went to the London School of Economics to continue with...
.
General Kriangsak is widely credited for defusing a long-running Communist insurgency in northern Thailand. Allegedly, he allowed the People's Republic of China to ship arms to the rebel Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
in Cambodia in exchange for the PRC withdrawing its support of the communists in Thailand. However this is denied by the Thai government, which cites his offer of amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
as the primary reason.
General Kriangsak voluntarily retired in February 1980 and was succeeded by General Prem Tinsulanonda
Prem Tinsulanonda
General Prem Tinsulanonda is a retired Thai military officer who served as Prime Minister of Thailand from March 3, 1980 to August 4, 1988. He now serves as the Head of the Privy Council of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej....
.