Chalerm Yubamrung

Chalerm Ubumrung (Thai: เฉลิม อยู่บำรุง, rtgs: Chaloem U-bumrung, Thai pronunciation: [ʨʰà.lɤ ̌ːm jùː.bam.ruŋ]) (born June 10, 1947), is a Thai politician. He is a Member of Parliament representing the Pheu Thai Party, and until recently was one of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Yingluck Shinawatra. His past political appointments include chief MP for Pheu Thai Party, brief terms as Health Minister under Somchai Wongsawat, Interior Minister under Samak Sundaravej, Justice Minister under Banharn Silpa-archa, and Leader of the Opposition from 2009 to 2011.

Family life

Chalerm was born at Bang Bon, Bangkok. He is married to Lamnao Yubamrung (Thai: ลำเนา อยู่บำรุง), an auxiliary judge of Thailand's juvenile court. They have three sons: Artharn, Wanchalerm and Duangchalerm.^[1] All three of Chalerm's sons have reputations for violent mafia-like behavior. In 2001, his youngest son, Duangchalerm, was arraigned for the murder of a police officer in a nightclub. Right after the incident, Duangchalerm received shelter from a Thai general. The son then deserted from the Army and fled to Cambodia, followed by Malaysia. After a few months of staying in touch with his father, he was assured it was safe to return to Thailand and not face the consequences. Chalerm met his son in Singapore and escorted him to Thailand. He was released from jail on bail terms in 2003, and finally acquitted as the court ruled the evidence was insufficient, even though there were many eyewitnesses to the crime.^[2][3] Chalerm's younger brother, Nawarat Yubamrung (Thai: นวรัตน์ อยู่บำรุง), is also a politician, serving several terms as a member of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council.

Education

Chalerm graduated from the Royal Thai Police Academy. He reached the rank of police captain, before he resigned his commission to go into private business. He later received a doctor's degree in Law from the open admission Ramkhamhaeng University.

Political career

Chalerm first entered politics as an MP with the Democrat Party. In 1986 he formed his own party, the Mass Party (Thai: พรรคมวลชน). Mass Party's power base was in western Bangkok, especially Phasi Charoen and Bang Bon Districts. Chalerm won several consecutive MP election bids, with the exception of the first election of 1992. He served as Minister for Office of the Prime Minister under Chatichai Choonhavan, overseeing the Mass Communications Organization of Thailand. He was accused of press interference and had ongoing conflicts with the military, to the point that he was cited by the coup-makers as one of the reasons for the 1991 military coup d'état. In the wake of the coup Chalerm was among the politicians accused of "unusual wealth", and had 32 million baht in assets seized.^[4] He fled Thailand to live in Sweden and Denmark until the political situation cooled down.

After returning to Thailand, Chalerm allied his Mass Party with the Thai Nation Party (Thai: พรรคชาติไทย), which led the Opposition during the first Chuan Leekpai government. Chalerm played an important role in the 1995 debates regarding a censure motion against then-Agriculture Minister Suthep Thaugsuban for his role in the Sor Por Kor 4-01 (Thai: สปก.4-01) land reform scandal. These debates resulted in PM Chuan dissolving parliament to avoid a no-confidence vote, and ultimately in the rise of a Thai Nation Party-led government with Banharn Silpa-archa as Prime Minister. Chalerm was appointed Justice Minister in this cabinet, serving from 13 July 1995 to 24 November 1996.

In 1997, Chalerm dissolved the Mass Party to combine with the New Aspiration Party (Thai: พรรคความหวังใหม่) of then-Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

The Thai Nation Party was dissolved in 2007 by the Constitutional Court of Thailand along with its coalition members People Power Party and Neutral Democratic Party, for violation of election laws. In the 2007 general election Chalerm joined the People's Power Party and was again elected MP. On 6 February 2008 he joined the Samak Sundaravej cabinet as Minister of Interior,^[5] serving until Samak's disqualification from politics. He served in the cabinet of the short-lived Somchai Wongsawat government as Minister of Public Health,^[6] and for a time was chief MP for Pheu Thai Party. After Pheu Thai won the elections, Chalerm was appointed Deputy Prime Minister under Yingluck Shinawatra, on 9 August 2011. Chalerm has also been appointed the point man on Thailand's 'War on Drugs' though it's ironic, Chalerm himself has an alcohol problem. Thailand's War on Drugs does not deal in any way with Thailand's most all-around harmful drug; alcoholic drinks.

On the night of 22 May 2014, military officers arrested him during the events of the 2014 Thai coup d'état.^[7]

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