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 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 ...

, deputy prime minister and minister in several cabinets.

Early life, military career, and family

Pramarn Adireksarn was born on 31 December 1913 in

Saraburi Saraburi City ('' thesaban mueang'') is the provincial capital of Saraburi Province in central Thailand. In 2020, it had a population of 60,809 people, and covers the complete ''tambon'' Pak Phriao of the Mueang Saraburi district. Location ...

to a Chinese immigrant father and Thai mother. He attended the

Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA) (; ) is the service academy of Royal Thai Army (RTA). Established in 1887 it has graduated the majority of Thailand's military leaders, many of whom have become Prime Ministers of Thailand, Thai prime m ...

and became an officer in the artillery of the

Royal Thai Army The Royal Thai Army or RTA (; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. History Origin The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's sovereignty. The army was formed in 187 ...

Lopburi Lopburi (, , ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is about northeast of Bangkok. It has a population of 58,000. The town ('' thesaban mueang'') covers the whole ''tambon'' Tha Hin and parts of Thale Chup Son of Muea ...

. The highest rank he achieved was Major General. Pramarn married Charoen Choonhavan, the daughter of Field Marshal

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 sister of

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 ...

. By this marriage, he became a member of the influential "Rajakru clan". Pramarn and Charoen Adireksarn had three sons, including the author and politician Pongpol Adireksarn (pen-name Paul Adirex).

Political career under Plaek Phibunsongkhram

Later he served as director of the state-run (ETO). In 1951, he became deputy minister in the cabinet of Field Marshal

Plaek Phibunsongkhram Plaek Phibunsongkhram; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964) was a Thai military officer and politician who served as the third prime minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957. He rose to power as a leading member of the Kh ...

, initially assigned to the ministry of transport, he changed to the interior ministry in 1952, and to the ministry of industry in 1953. In 1955, he left the government. In 1957, Pramarn was elected Member of Parliament for the ruling ''Seri Manangkasila Party'', the winner of the election in February of that year. Subsequently, Prime Minister Plaek appointed him Minister of Industry. The 1957 military coup d'état by Field Marshal

Sarit Thanarat Sarit Thanarat (also spelled Dhanarajata; ; born Siri (); 16 June 1908 – 8 December 1963) was a Thai politician and military commander. He served as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (from 1954) and as Minister of Defense during ...

deposed Pramarn's patron Plaek and brought his political career to a temporary halt. He got involved in the private sector and established a textile concern.

Thai Nation Party leader

In 1974, after the successful democratic uprising, Pramarn, together with his in-laws Chatichai Choonhavan and Siri Siriyothin, founded the

. The right-wing conservative and staunchly anti-communist party was the adversary of the leftist student movement. In March 1975, Pramarn led the Thai Nation Party into a ''United Parties coalition'' with the progressive

Social Action Party The Social Action Party (, ) was a former political party in Thailand. History The Social Action Party was formed by the more liberal members of the Democrat Party in 1974 under the leadership of Kukrit Pramoj. After Kukrit resigned the offic ...

and the right-wing Social Justice Party with M.R.

Kukrit Pramoj Mom Rajawongse Kukrit Pramoj (, , ; 20 April 1911 – 9 October 1995) was a Thai politician, author, scholar and professor. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand between 1973 and 1974. He was the thirteenth Prime Minister o ...

becoming Prime Minister and Pramarn taking the office of

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...

and Minister of Defence. The coalition broke in January 1976. It had not been able to cope with the social unrest in the country, including the protests of the students movement, strikes, and fear at the sight of the events in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, and inter-party conflicts, namely between Pramarn and Thawit Klinprathum, the leader of the Social Justice Party. In advance of the snap elections, Pramarn's Thai Nation Party campaigned on the slogan "Right kill Left". The party could significantly increase its share of votes and seats in parliament. This time, the Thai Nation Party joined a Democrat Party-led government under Kukrit's brother M.R.

Seni Pramoj Mom Rajawongse Seni Pramoj (, , ; 26 May 190528 July 1997) was a Thai professor and politician who served as Prime Minister of Thailand three times. A descendant of the Thai royal family, he was the great-grandson of King Rama II. His final two ...

. Pramarn Adireksarn stayed Deputy Prime Minister, but was denied the defence portfolio. Instead, he was given the ministry of agriculture. In the morning of 6 October 1976, it was Pramarn who declared in a cabinet meeting that it was the right moment to destroy the student movement. This was eventually executed by the police and ultra-right paramilitary units who shot and struck at least 46 protesters at the Thammasat University dead. On the evening of the same day, the military launched a coup d'état and deposed the Seni government.

After 1976

In 1978, Pramarn became official

leader of the opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the Opposition (parliamentary), largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the ...

, before Thai Nation joined the coalition 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 ...

in 1980, with Pramarn again becoming Deputy Prime Minister. In 1986, Pramarn passed the leadership of the Thai Nation Party to his brother-in-law Chatichai Choonhavan. Chatichai won the election of 1988, became Prime Minister and made Pramarn Minister of Interior. In this position, he was royally promoted to the honorary rank of police general. In January 1990 he switched posts with fellow party member

Banharn Silpa-archa Banharn Silpa-archa (, , ; , '' mǎdéxiáng''; 19 August 1932 – 23 April 2016) was a Thai politician who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1995 to 1996. Banharn made a fortune in the construction business before he became a Memb ...

and took over the industry portfolio, just to change back to the interior ministry in December of the same year. Chatichai however took on leading circles in the military and was deposed by a coup in 1991. The so-called

National Peace Keeping Council The National Peace Keeping Council (NPKC) () was the name assumed by a Thailand, Thai military Military dictatorship, junta that 1991 Thai coup d'état, overthrew the elected civilian government of Chatichai Choonhavan in 1991. It was led by Army C ...

seized 139 million baht of Pramarn's assets, accusing him of being "unusually rich" for a cabinet member. From 1992 to 1994 Pramarn once again assumed the leadership of the Thai Nation Party and acted as leader of the opposition. Afterwards, Pramarn retired from the political scene and passed the mantle to his son Pongpol Adireksarn. Pramarn Adireksarn died of a blood infection at the age of 96 on 20 August 2010.

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adireksarn, Pramarn

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 ...

Adireksarn, Pramarn Adireksarn, Pramarn