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'Chuan Leekpai' (, ; born July 28, 1938 in Trang) was the Prime Minister of Thailand from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1995 and again from November 9, 1997 to February 9, 2001.
A third-generation Thai Chinese^{[1] [2]}, Chuan was born in Trang province in a grass-roofed house. The walls were woven from strips of betel-nut wood. The floor was the earth. His father's name was Niyom Leekpai. His mother's name was Tuan Leekpai. Tuan Leekpai is half-Chinese like other Trang locals. Niyom Leekpai was a teacher, so his salary was trifling. Tuan Leekpai sold Thai dessert and worked in Para rubber garden. Chuan Leekpai has 9 siblings, and he is the third child in the family. Because of his big family, Chuan's life was not comfortable.
Chuan lived in and studied at the temple called 'Wat Amarintraram', Bangkok for 6 years. Then he went to study Law at Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand. After he graduated, he worked as a lawyer and then became a politician.
He has one son, Surabot Leekpai, with Pakdiporn Sujaritkul (his common-law wife). He has a younger brother, Raluek Leekpai (ระลึก หลีกภัย).
As the leader of the Democrat Party, Chuan was elected in 1992 after the abortive coup by General Suchinda Kraprayoon, thus becoming Thailand's first prime minister to come to power without either aristocratic or military backing. He was defeated in the 1995 election, but assumed power in late 1997 following the fall of the Chavalit Yongchaiyut administration, which was held responsible for the currency crisis that beset Thailand from July 1997. Though criticized as a "slow" actor, Chuan attempted to manage competing factional demands while abiding by the rule of law.

Contents

Raluek Leekpai scandal

Chuan 1 (1992-1995)

Chuan 2 (1997-2001)

Economic reform

Human Rights

Corruption

Criticisms

Quotes

References

Raluek Leekpai scandal

In 1987, when Chuan was Parliament Speaker, his younger brother Raluek Leekpai was charged with embezzling 231.8 million THB (approx. 10 million USD) from Thai Farmers Bank.^[3] Raluek had been an executive at TFB. Responding to accusations in Parliament, Chuan publicly defended the innocence of his brother. Raluek fled the country, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.

Chuan 1 (1992-1995)

Key policies of the Chuan 1 government included:

★ Engagement with Burma. The Chuan government employed a policy of constructive engagement with the military government of Burma, provoking much criticism.^[4]

★ Reforestation. A huge 5 million ''rai'' reforestation programme in honour of King Bhumibol's 50th anniversary of accession to the throne was initiated in 1994. The reforestation programme was officially declared a flop, with less than 40% of the target realised. The Director General of the RFD was suspended from his post for alleged corruption within the programme.^[5]
The first Chuan government fell when members of the cabinet were implicated in profiting from Sor Phor Kor 4-01 land titles distributed in Phuket province. Fierce public and press criticism have been cited for Chuan 1's downfall.^[6]

Chuan 2 (1997-2001)

Chuan became prime minister for the second time in early December 1997, replacing Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, with a shaky line-up of six parties in coalition and 12 defectors from a seventh party, Prachakorn Thai. The ruling coalition increased its 20-seat majority in October 1998, by including the Chart Pattana party.

Economic reform

The Chuan 2 government enacted several economic reforms for which it was severely criticized. Chuan's "bitter medicine" policies brought little economic relief in the years following the 1997 economic crisis, particularly at the grassroots. Perceptions grew that the Democrats were helping only big financial institutions and selling out the nation to foreign investors. The Democrats' "open contempt" for the plight of the common Thai set off a revenge vote against the party during the 2001 election, which gave a landslide victory to Thaksin Shinawatra.^[7]

Human Rights

The Chuan 2 government came under fire for the violent arrest of 223 villagers protesting the Pak Mun dam. Respected historian Nidhi Iawsriwong noted that "The present situation is as worse as that of the May event (the bloody crackdown of anti-government protesters in 1991). We have a tyrant government that is arrogant and not accountable for the public. This is dangerous because the government still sees itself as legitimate and claims that it is democratic. In fact, it is as violent as a military government".^[8]
In April 2000, the Editor in Chief of the Chiang Mai daily newspaper Pak Nua was shot and seriously wounded in an attempted murder, but recovered. The editor believed that his repeated critical reporting on the government led to the assault.^[9]
In March 1999, Chuan nominated Thanom Kittikachorn to the post of honorary royal guard to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, provoking widespread criticism.^[10] Thanom was one of the "Three Tyrants" who ruled Thailand during the 60's and early 70's and ordered the massacre of pro-democracy students in 14 October 1973.

Corruption

Chuan's government was also plagued with corruption scandals. Key cases of corruption included:

★ Rakkiat Sukhthana, Health Minister, was charged with taking a five million THB (125,000 USD) bribe from a drug firm and forcing state hospitals to buy medicine at exorbitant prices. After being found guilty, he jumped bail and went into hiding.

★ Suthep Thaugsuban, Minister of Transport and Communications, whose brokering of illegal land deals caused the fall of the Chuan 1 government, was linked to abuse of funds in setting up a co-operative in his southern constituency of Surat Thani.^[11]

★ The "edible fence" seed scandal, in which collusion led to massive overpricing of seeds distributed to rural areas. The Deputy Minister of Agriculture was forced to resign.^[12]

★ The Salween logging scandal, where up to 20,000 logs were felled illegally in the Salween forest in Mae Hong Son. Some of them turned up in the compound of the Democrat party’s office in Phichit province.

★ Sanan Kajornprasart, Interior Minister, as well as 8 other cabinet ministers were found to have understated their declared assets. Sanan was later barred by the Constitution Court from politics for 5 years.Encyclopedia Britannica

★ Chuan himself was found by the National Counter-Corruption Commission to have undeclared shareholdings in a rural cooperative.
Chuan stepped down as the head of the Democrat Party in 2003.

Criticisms

★ Chuan also got the nickname 'Chang Ta See' (painter in Thai). When Democrat Party's members were accused of corruption, he always helped them by telling the press his party's members were clean.

Quotes

★ "I haven't received any reports yet." -- (in Thai "ผมยังไม่ได้รับรายงาน") Chuan Leekpai's classic phrase when he faced many Thai reporters about some important issues or urgent issues.

★ "The committee is still evaluating it." -- (in Thai "ทางคณะกำลังพิจารณาอยู่ครับ") One of his most famous quotes.

References

1. A History of Thailand, , , , Cambridge University Press, ,
2. 泰国华裔地位高 出过好几任总理真正的一等公民
3. [28 September 1987, Manager Weekly]
4. The Asean Way to Human Rights and Democracy
5. ''Thailand's Community Forest Bill: U-Turn or Roundabout in Forest Policy?''
6. ''Media and democratic transitions in Southeast Asia'' by Duncan McCargo
7. Thailand Incorporated
8. focusweb.org
9. terrorismcentral.com
10. Forgiven? But not forgotten
11. atimes.com
12. >''Corruption: Is there any hope at all?'' by Pasuk Phongpaichit