As power modified hands steadily amid the country’s carousel of military coups, world leaders widely viewed Prem as a reputable interlocutor with Bangkok’s elite. Top Chinese political heavyweights are known to go to him after they visit Thailand.
Political observers described the elder statesman, a longtime bachelor, as a colossal figure in Thai politics.
“He was one of the driving forces behind the military’s role in Thai politics. His death signals a new era in Thai politics. There is no one else who has this kind of political charisma or influence,” said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University.
A month earlier, he had granted an audience to members of the ruling military administration.
His death signals a brand new era in Thai politics. There isn’t any one else who has such political charisma and influence
Prem was born in 1920 within the Songkhla province in southern Thailand, and in 1941 he graduated from the most effective military academy within the country.
He fought in Thailand’s short war with France over Cambodian territory and with Britain over Burma. He later received training within the United States and played a key role in the dominion’s fight against communists within the northern provinces.
In 1980, Prem shed his military uniform – he was already a military commander – and have become prime minister after being invited to take up the post by parliament.
Political analysts hailed his eight-year tenure in the highest political post as one of the stable periods in the dominion’s recent history, marked by some 19 military coups.
During Prem’s term as prime minister from 1980 to 1988, he survived two failed coups.
Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn calls on the post-election parliament to concentrate on national stability
Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn calls on the post-election parliament to concentrate on national stability
But critics have sometimes described him as having a dim view of a fully-fledged democracy and suggested he held the levers of power long after he stepped down as prime minister in 1988 and have become a privy councilor.
According to Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan University in Thailand, the final helped establish the all-powerful “monarchized army” present in Thailand today.
“The prime minister has repeatedly demonstrated that his acumen could prevent or facilitate a military coup that helped the palace,” Chambers told the AFP news agency.
According to Chambers, he helped initiate three coups, including in 2014, while not directly helping to topple 4 other governments.
As prime minister and later as a privy councilor, Prem gained a repute for enjoying a serious role in foreign policy.
Ties with China were strengthened during his eight years in power, following the normalization of bilateral relations with Beijing in 1975.
During his term, he visited Beijing twice.
Modern Chinese leaders, including former Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and current President Xi Jinping, have visited Prem during bilateral visits to Thailand.
During a 2011 visit, Xi – then vp – met with Prem and praised the statesman as an “necessary witness” in the event of strong ties between the 2 countries.
Titipol said each the military and civilian governments sought Prem’s advice when he served as head of the Privy Council.
His “statements were often used to convey a message of the direction the country should take. When the military was in trouble, it at all times turned to General Prem for support, and this weakened the military’s position in Thai politics,” Titipol said.
The country stays in political limbo following March 24 general elections – the primary since Prayuth’s 2014 coup.
The junta leader hopes to stay as prime minister, but his political proxies, the Palang Pracharat party, haven’t yet assembled a governing coalition, regardless that parliament was declared open on Friday.
In an announcement, Prayuth praised Prem as a “role model for Thais who love their country.”
“He was honest and cared in regards to the welfare of society. He also had other qualities that future generations should learn from,” he said.
Additional reporting by Jitsiree Thongnoi, Agence France-Presse, Associated Press
This article appeared within the print edition of the South China Morning Post as: a colossal figure who helped shape a nation
