Page 43 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Bangkok

Moments in History ❮❮ 41

1946: Rama IX Ascends
7 TOP 10 FAMOUS THAIS
the Throne
After the death of his brother
King Mahidol, who was shot in the
head while in bed, King Bhumibol
Adulyadej took the throne as
Rama IX. He reigned for 70 years,
until his death in 2016.
1992: Military
8
Government Ousted
Thais demonstrated publicly their
dis pleasure following a military coup
in 1992. After the army gunned down Anand Panyarachun
many citi zens on the streets of 1 Chang and Eng Bunker
Bangkok, Rama IX intervened, Born near Bangkok, the original
result ing in the self-proclaimed Siamese Twins (1811–74) settled in the
Prime Minister, General Suchinda USA, married, and fathered 22 children.
Kraprayoon, making a hasty exit and They died within hours of each other.
democracy being restored. 2 Plaek Pibulsonggram
Prime Minister and military dictator
for around 15 years, Pibulsonggram
changed the country’s name from
Siam to Thailand in 1939.
3 Kukrit Pramoj
Thailand’s 13th Prime Minister
(1975–6) was honored in 1985 as
National Artist for his literary works.
4 Prem Tinsulanonda
The country’s Prime Minister from
1980–88, Tinsulanonda was one of the
closest advisors to King Rama IX.
5 Anand Panyarachun
Serving twice as Prime Minister in the
early 1990s, Panyarachun made overdue
The military coup of 1992 reforms to the Thai constitution in 1996.
6 Khaosai Galaxy
2006: Thaksin Ousted
9 The “Thai Tyson”, Khaosai was WBA
Super Flyweight champion from 1984
Thailand’s self-styled “CEO
leader” Thaksin Shinawatra swept to to 1992, defending his title 19 times.
power in 2001 as head of the Thai 7 Apsara Hongsakula
Rak Thai party, inspiring peo ple with Crowned Miss Universe in 1965, this
his business acumen. However, he beauty queen was the first of three
was ousted for corruption in a Thai women to win the accolade.
military coup in September 2006. 8 Thongchai McIntyre
Known as “Bird,” Thailand’s biggest pop
2011: Thailand’s First
0 idol also has a film and TV acting career.
Female Prime Minister
Thaksin’s sister Yingluck was 9 Thaksin Shinawatra
This former police officer and telecoms
elected Thailand’s first female Prime billionaire fronts the populist political
Minister, widely viewed as a proxy movement known as the Red Shirts.
for her brother. She was deposed 10 Chalermchai Kositpipat
in a 2014 coup by General Prayut The Buddhism-inspired works of
Chan-o-cha, who went on to oversee Thailand’s greatest contemporary artist
the succession of Rama X, King include an entire temple in Chiang Rai.
Vajiralongkorn, in 2016.

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