Chuan Leekpai
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Chuan Leekpai MPCh MWM TCW |
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|---|---|
| ชวน หลีกภัย | |
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| 20th Prime Minister of Thailand | |
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In office 9 November 1997 – 9 February 2001 |
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| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Preceded by | Chavalit Yongchaiyudh |
| Succeeded by | Thaksin Shinawatra |
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In office 20 September 1992 – 19 May 1995 |
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| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Preceded by | Anand Panyarachun |
| Succeeded by | Banharn Silpa-Archa |
| Leader of the Opposition in House of Representatives of Thailand | |
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In office 4 August 1995 – 27 September 1996 |
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| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
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In office 21 December 1996 – 8 November 1997 |
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| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
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In office 11 March 2001 – 3 May 2003 |
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| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
28 July 1938 Mueang Trang District, Trang Province, Siam |
| Nationality | Thai |
| Political party | Democrat Party |
| Domestic partner | Pakdiporn Sucharitakul |
| Children | |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
Chuan Leekpai (Thai: ชวน หลีกภัย; rtgs: Chuan Likphai; Chinese: 呂基文; born 28 July 1938 in Trang) was the Prime Minister of Thailand from 20 September 1992 to 19 May 1995 and again from 9 November 1997 to 9 February 2001. He is a third-generation Thai Chinese of Hokkien descent. His father's name was Niyom Leekpai and his mother's name was Tuan Leekpai. Chuan Leekpai has nine siblings and is the third child in the family. At a young age, Chuan moved to the temple school at Wat Amarintraram in Bangkok where he lived for six years. He went on to study law at Thammasat University, Bangkok. After he was graduated, he worked as a lawyer and then as a politician. He has one son, Surabot Leekpai, with Pakdiporn Sujaritkul (his common-law wife).
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. His first administration consisted of a five party coalition of the Democrat, New Aspiration, Palang Dhamma, Social Action, and Social Unity Parties until he was defeated in the 1995 election, but assumed power in late-1997 following the fall of the Chavalit Yongchaiyudh administration, which was held responsible for the economic crisis that beset Thailand in 1997. Although criticised as a slow actor and allowing numerous corruption scandals, Chuan managed to meet factional demands and extend Thailand's social security system.
In 1987, when Chuan was parliamentary speaker, his younger brother, Raluek Leekpai (ระลึก หลีกภัย), was charged with embezzling 231.8 million baht (US$9 million) from Thai Farmers Bank (TFB). 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 only returned to Thailand in 2004 after the statute of limitations expired on his crime and he could not be prosecuted. He had been on the run as a fugitive in Taiwan. Raluek has said he might enter politics in order to restore his reputation, although he said he wanted to live a quiet life in his Trang hometown.
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