Korn Dabbaransi (, , alternatively transcribed as Thapparangsi or ''Dabaransi'', ; born 14 September 1945) is a Thai politician. He was the leader of the National Development Party from 1998 to 2003. Korn served as deputy prime minister and as a cabinet minister in several governments. He currently serves as the President of the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association.

Family and education

Korn Dapparansi is a fourth generation

Thai Chinese Thai Chinese (also known as Chinese Thais, Sino-Thais) are persons of Chinese people, Chinese descent in Thailand. Thai Chinese are the largest mixed group in the country and the largest overseas Chinese community in the world with a popul ...

. He is a grandson of former deputy prime minister

Phin Choonhavan Phin Choonhavan (; ; 14 August 1891 – 26 January 1973) was a Thai military leader and Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand. Phin was a leader of several coups against the government, most notably the 1947 coup. During the Second World War, he c ...

and a nephew of former prime minister

Chatichai Choonhavan Chatichai Choonhavan (; , ; 5 April 1920 – 6 May 1998) was a Thai army officer, diplomat and politician. From 1986 to 1991, he was the chairman of the Thai Nation Party and served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from August 1988 until the 1 ...

. He graduated from

Saint Gabriel's College Saint Gabriel's College () is a private Catholic all-boys school in Bangkok, Thailand. The school was founded by the Brothers of Saint Gabriel in 1920. The school educates students from grade 1 through grade 12 (K–12). Admission, especially i ...

and the

University of Massachusetts The University of Massachusetts is the Public university, public university system of the Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes six campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts Lowell ...

Political career

He entered politics in 1974, representing the

Thai Nation Party Thai Nation Party, or Chart Thai Party (, ) was a Conservatism, conservative political party in Thailand. It was dissolved by the Constitutional Court of Thailand on December 2, 2008, along with the People's Power Party (Thailand), People's Power P ...

of his uncles Chatichai and

Pramarn Adireksarn Pramarn Adireksarn (, , 31 December 1913 – 20 August 2010) was a Thai military officer and politician. He was a co-founder and chairman of the Thai Nation Party, deputy prime minister and minister in several cabinets. Early life, military care ...

. Korn served as Deputy Minister of Industry in the government of General

Prem Tinsulanonda Prem Tinsulanonda (, , ; 26 August 1920 – 26 May 2019) was a Thai military officer, politician, and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1980 to 1988. During Prem’s tenure as prime minister, he was credited with end ...

from 1986 to 1988. He was a minister to the Office of Prime Minister in his uncle Chatichai's cabinet from 1990 to 1991. After the military coup d'état of 1991, he was again Minister to the Office of Prime Minister in the short-lived military-backed government of

Suchinda Kraprayoon Suchinda Kraprayoon (, ; 6 August 193310 June 2025) was a Thai army general and politician who was Prime Minister of Thailand for several weeks in 1992. As the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (1990–1992), Suchinda led the 1991 T ...

. After the events of the Black May 1992, that toppled the Suchinda administration, he left the Thai Nation Party and founded the National Development Party, together with Chatichai. In December 1994, Korn was again appointed Minister to the Office of Prime Minister by Prime Minister

Chuan Leekpai Chuan Leekpai MPCh MVM ThChW (, , ; ; born 28 July 1938) is a Thai politician who served two terms as the prime minister of Thailand, from 1992 to 1995, and from 1997 to 2001. He is also the former president of the National Assembly of Tha ...

, he held that position until the government lost its majority in 1995. In

Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Chavalit Yongchaiyudh (, , ; born 15 May 1932), also known as "Big Jiew" (, , ), is a Thai politician and retired army officer, he served as the prime minister of Thailand from 1996 to 1997. From 1986 to 1990, he was the Commander-in-chief of ...

's coalition government, Korn held the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry from 1996 to 1997. In 1998, Korn took over the chairmanship of the National Development Party from Chatichai. In October of that year, he was made Deputy Prime Minister again under Chuan Leekpai, holding the public health portfolio additionally. In the succeeding cabinet of

Thaksin Shinawatra Thaksin Shinawatra (, ; born 26 July 1949) is a Thai businessman and politician who was the 23rd prime minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006. Since 2009 he has also been a citizen of Montenegro. Thaksin founded the mobile phone operator A ...

, Korn was again Deputy Prime Minister from March 2002 to November 2003, when Thaksin dropped the National Development Party from his coalition. Thereupon Korn defected to the Prime Minister's

Thai Rak Thai Party The Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT; , , ; "Thais Love Thais Party") was a list of political parties in Thailand, Thai political party founded in 1998. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under its founder, Prime Minister of Thailand, Prime Mini ...

. He was called up to the cabinet as Minister of Science and Technology again in March 2004, serving until August 2005. In 2007, Korn left Thai Rak Thai for the Royalist People's Party (Pracharaj) of

Sanoh Thienthong Sanoh Thienthong (, born 1 April 1934) is a Thai politician. He is a Member of Parliament for the Pheu Thai Party list. Before he joined the Pheu Thai Party in 2011, he was the leader of the minor Pracharaj Party. Earlier functions include Mini ...

, became deputy leader, but resigned from the party in October of the same year, to re-join the Thai Nation Party after 15 years.

Other offices

Korn was the president of the

International Badminton Federation The Badminton World Federation, aka BWF, is the international sports governing body, governing body for the sport of badminton approved by the International Olympic Committee. It was founded on 5 July 1934 as the International Badminton Federat ...

(IBF).Co-Chairman: Korn Dabbaransi – Former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation, retrieved on 22 March 2012 He has been the chairman of the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association since 2002.

Honours

National honours

* Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted

Order of the White Elephant __NOTOC__ The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (; ) is an order (decoration), order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Mongkut, Rama IV of the Thailand, Kingdom of Siam. Along with the Order of the Crown of Thailand, it is r ...

(1989) * Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Noble

Order of the Crown of Thailand The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand (; ) is a Thai order, established in 1869 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) for Thais, the royal family, governmental employees, and foreign dignitaries for their outstanding serv ...

(1988) * Serving Free People's Medal (1968)

Foreign honours

* : ** First Class of the Most Distinguished

Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa The Most Distinguished Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa (), also translated as The Most Distinguished Order of Merit of Brunei, is an order of Brunei. It was established in February 1964 by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. Current classes The th ...

(2002) * : ** Commander Grand Cross of the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden''), sometimes translated as the Royal Order of the North Star, is a Swedish order of chivalry created by Frederick I of Sweden, King Frederick I on 23 F ...

(2003)ราชกิจจานุเบกษา
ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานพระบรมราชานุญาตให้ประดับเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ต่างประเทศ
, เล่ม ๑๒๐ ตอนที่ ๔ ข หน้า ๕, ๗ มีนาคม ๒๕๔๖

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dabbaransi, Korn Living people 1945 births

Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi (, , alternatively transcribed as Thapparangsi or ''Dabaransi'', ; born 14 September 1945) is a Thai politician. He was the leader of the National Development Party from 1998 to 2003. Korn served as deputy prime minister and as a ...

University of Massachusetts alumni

Badminton executives and administrators