Chatichai Choonhavan

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Chatichai Choonhavan
ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ
Chatichai Choonhavan

In office
August 4, 1988 – February 23, 1991
Preceded by Prem Tinsulanonda
Succeeded by Anand Panyarachun

Born April 5, 1920(1920-04-05)
Bangkok, Thailand
Died May 6, 1998 (aged 78)
London, England
Nationality Thai
Spouse Boonruean Choonhavan

General Chatichai Choonhavan (Thai: ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ, 5 April 19206 May 1998) was the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1988 to 1991. He was the only son of Field Marshal Phin Choonhavan, and is of Thai Chinese descent[1] with ancestry from Chenghai District.[2][3][4] Chatichai served as Thailand's Foreign Minister from 1975-1976. His lifestyle was colourful and he acted as a playboy.[citation needed] Newspapers nicknamed him Na Chat or Uncle Chat.[citation needed]

On February 23, 1991, he was deposed by a military coup d'etat led by generals Sunthorn Kongsompong and Suchinda Kraprayoon. He died of liver cancer in 1998.[5]

Although his rule from 1988-1991 was filled with numerous rampant corruption scandals, which were also reasons he was disposed of in a military coup, Thailand's economy was booming like never before and never again, for example 1988 GDP growth at 13.2 %.[citation needed] He governed under the motto: Turn battlefields into economic fields These boom years are seen by many as the peak of the Thai economic history.[citation needed]

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Preceded by
Prem Tinsulanonda
Prime Minister of Thailand
1988–1991
Succeeded by
Anand Panyarachun