Prem Tinsulanonda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Prem Tinsulanonda MPCh MWM PC NR RMK/SR PPh PC
เปรม ติณสูลานนท์
Tinsulanonda in 2010
16th Prime Minister of Thailand
In office 3 March 1980 – 4 August 1988
Monarch	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Preceded by	Kriangsak Chamanan
Succeeded by	Chatichai Choonhavan
Regent of Thailand
In office 13 October 2016 – 1 December 2016
Monarch	Vajiralongkorn
Prime Minister	Prayut Chan-o-cha
President of the Privy Council
In office 4 September 1998 – 26 May 2019
Monarch	Bhumibol Adulyadej Vajiralongkorn
Preceded by	Sanya Dharmasakti
Succeeded by	Surayud Chulanont
Minister of Defence
In office 24 May 1979 – 5 August 1986
Prime Minister	Kriangsak Chamanan himself
Preceded by	Kriangsak Chamanan
Succeeded by	Panieng Karntarat
Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army
In office 2 October 1978 – 26 August 1982
Preceded by	Serm Na Nakhon
Succeeded by	Prayuth Jarumanee
Personal details
Born	(1920-08-26)26 August 1920 Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pak Tai, Siam (now Mueang Songkhla, Songkhla, Thailand)
Died	26 May 2019(2019-05-26) (aged 98) Phramongkutklao Hospital, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand
Political party	Independent
Alma mater	Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy US Army Armor School
Military service
Allegiance	Thailand
Branch/service	Royal Thai Army
Years of service	1941–1986
Rank	General Admiral Air Chief Marshal
Battles/wars	Franco-Thai War World War II (WIA) Communist insurgency in Thailand

Prem Tinsulanonda (Thai: เปรม ติณสูลานนท์, RTGS: Prem Tinnasulanon 26 August 1920 – 26 May 2019) was a Thai military officer, politician, and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 3 March 1980 to 4 August 1988.

Education and military

Prem in 1959

Born in Songkhla Province in south Thailand, Prem was the son of Luang Winittantagum (Bueng Tinsulanonda) and Odd Tinsulanonda and had seven siblings. His father was the warden of Songkhla prison, and Prem jokingly claimed to have spent most of his childhood in prison. Prem attended Maha Vajiravudh Secondary School in Songkhla, followed by Suankularb Wittayalai School in Bangkok. He entered the Royal Thai Army Academy (now Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy) in 1941. A distinguished army officer, he entered politics in 1959, as a member of the Constitution Drafting Committee. From 1968 to 1971 he was a Senator, in 1972–73 was a Member of Parliament, and in 1976 was appointed to the Advisory Council of Prime Minister Thanin Kraivichien. Under Prime Minister Kriangsak Chamanan, he was Deputy Interior Minister in 1977–78 and Minister of Defence from 1979 to 1986.

General Prem is known for initiating the negotiations with the members of the Communist Party of Thailand. Consequently, an amnesty was declared and many communist members — including former student protesters — returned home. This helped end the fighting between the government and communist guerrillas in the 1980s.

Political career

During his term as Prime Minister, Prem was credited with ending a communist insurgency and presiding over accelerating economic growth. As president of the Privy Council, he served as Regent of Thailand from the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on 13 October 2016 until 1 December 2016, when Vajiralongkorn was proclaimed King. At the age of 98, Prem was the longest-living Thai Prime Minister. He is also the oldest regent of any country, surpassing Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold's record, when he became the regent for king Rama X.

During the Thai political crisis of the mid-2000s, he was accused by deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his supporters of masterminding the 2006 coup, as well as in the appointment of the post-coup legislature and interim government of Surayud Chulanont. The military junta that ousted Thaksin denied that Prem had any important political role. Prem, as the President of the Privy Council, promoted King Bhumibol's ideologies and royal projects, though he sometimes represented himself as being the voice of the king. He urged Thai society to follow the king's advice and himself founded several welfare projects related to education, poverty, and national unity. A southerner, Prem had also dealt personally with trying to resolve the South Thailand insurgency.

Personal life

Prem never married and once declared himself to be "married" to the army. Prem's adoptive godson is the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces Min Aung Hlaing, whose father personally knew Prem.

Educational activities

Prem was actively involved in many charities, including the Prem Foundation. He established the Prem Tinsulanonda International School, which opened in August 2001 in Chiang Mai Province. The campus covers 90 acres (360,000 m²); the student body numbers over 400, with more than 36 nationalities represented.

Death and funeral

Prem Tinsulanonda Public Library at Khon Kaen

Tinsulanonda Library at Songkhla

Tinsulanonda Bridge as seen from Koh Yoh Island

Prem died of heart failure at Phramongkutklao Hospital on 26 May 2019, aged 98.

King Vajiralongkorn ordered a period of mourning at the royal court for 21 days from 27 May to 17 June 2019, except for 3 June, which is the birthday of Queen Suthida.

On 8 December 2019, after the corpse was kept in the Song Tham Thorne Hall, Wat Benchamabophit, for 100 days, it was cremated at Wat Debsirindrawas Ratchaworawiharn. King Vajiralongkorn held a royal funeral procession by the Cavalry Division towards Wat Debsirindrawas. King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida, along with Princess Royal Sirindhorn and Princess Bajrakitiyabha, went to the cremation and presided over the funeral ceremony. On 9 December 2019, King Vajiralongkorn sent the acting President of the Privy Council, Surayud Chulanont, as a royal representative to collect the crematory relics at Wat Debsirindrawas.

Tributes and legacy

The Tinsulanonda Bridge, located in Mueang Songkhla District and Singhanakhon District, was built in honour of Prem, connecting Koh Yo on both sides between Mueang Songkhla District and Singhanakhon District. The length of the bridges is 940 meters and 1,700 meters, respectively, for a total of 2,640 meters. People in Songkhla province favor this bridge as "Pa Prem Bridge" "Tin Bridge" or "Prem Bridge" and is considered as one of the famous tourist attractions of the province.

Prem offered to build Prem Tinsulanonda Public Library in front of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, Prem Tinsulanonda Camp at Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province to provide services to people and officers in the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, Prem Tinsulanonda Camp and interested people.

A statue of Prem is located in front of the 2nd Army Military Museum, beside the 2nd Army Headquarters, in Suranaree Camp, Muang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The area beneath the statue has a message that says "Born to repay the land". The signature is written in gold of General Prem Tinsulanonda. Another statue of Prem located at General Prem Tinsulanonda Historical Park, Muang District, Songkhla Province which is his birthplace.

Honours

Prem has received the following decorations and awards in the Honours System of Thailand:

• 1988 - Knight of the Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems
• 1982 - Knight Grand Cross of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
• 1990 - Knight Grand Commander of the Honourable Order of Rama
• 1978 - Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
• 1975 - Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
• 1996 - Knight Grand Cross of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn
• 1988 - Member of the Order of Symbolic Propitiousness Ramkeerati Boy Scout Citation Medal (Special Class)

Medals

• 1941 - Victory Medal - Franco-Thai War
• 1962 - Victory Medal - World War II
• 1978 - Freemen Safeguarding Medal (First Class)
• 1933 - Safeguarding the Constitution Medal
• 1955 - Chakra Mala Medal (15 years military/police service)
• 1982 - King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal, 1st Class
• 2019 - King Rama X Royal Cypher Medal, 1st Class
• 1980 - Red Cross Medal of Appreciation
• 1950 - King Rama IX Coronation Medal
• 1957 - 25th Buddhist Century Celebration Medal

Foreign honours

•  Sweden:
  • Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star (K.m.s.t.k.N.O.) (2003)
•  Malaysia:
  • Honorary Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (S.M.N.) (1984)
•  Netherlands:
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (2003)
•  Philippines:
  • Grand Collar of the Order of Sikatuna (G.C.S.)
•  West Germany:
  • Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1984)
•  South Korea:
  • Order of National Security Merit, Tongil Medal
•  Japan :
  • Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
•  Italy:
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (O.M.R.I.)
•  Pakistan :
  • Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam
•  Spain :
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (gcYC)

•  Austria :
  • Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria with Sash

Images for kids

• 

  US President Ronald Reagan during a working visit of Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda in the Oval Office in 1984

• 

  Prem with Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, 10 March 1987

• 

  Prem as the President of Privy Council

• 

  Prem in 2011

See also

In Spanish: Prem Tinsulanonda para niños