Kukrit Pramoj

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Mom Rajawongse Kukrit Pramoj
ม.ร.ว. คึกฤทธิ์ ปราโมช
Kukrit Pramoj
In office
March 14, 1975 – January 12, 1976
Preceded by Seni Pramoj
Succeeded by Seni Pramoj
Born April 20, 1911(1911-04-20)
Singburi, Thailand
Died October 9, 1995 (aged 84)
Bangkok, Thailand
Nationality Thai
Spouse M.R. Pakpring Thongyai

Maj. Gen. Mom Rajawongse (M.R.) Kukrit Pramoj (Thai คึกฤทธิ์ ปราโมช) (April 20, 1911 - October 9, 1995) was a Thai politician and scholar. He was the thirteenth Prime Minister of Thailand, serving in office from 1975-1976.

Contents

Of royal descent, M.R. Kukrit Pramoj was born into an aristocratic family. Like all upper class Thais of his generation, his parents sent him and his siblings to boarding schools in England. He finished his Bachalor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Oxford University. Upon arriving back to Thailand, his very first job was in banking. However, his true reputation lies in his mastery in many forms of arts, including politics and journalism.

He was a leading authority on traditional Thai culture and had a polymathic range of interests from Thailand's classical dance to literature. Most famous for his literary works, he was named a "National Artist" for literature in 1985, the inaugural year for the honor. And he received The Special Commemorative Prize of The Fukuoka Asian Culture Prizes in 1990, the inaugural year for the prizes again. His works encompass many subjects from humour to drama. He wrote passionately for Siam Rath (สยามรัฐ), the newspaper that he founded. He also wrote the famous historical novel Four Reigns (สี่แผ่นดิน), and many more. His unique sense of humour offered a satirical view of his age and he was often arrested for offending the powerful.

As a scholar, he also wrote many non-fiction works ranging from history, astrology and religion. Most notable, however, are his epics and many short stories portraying various aspects of life and documenting contemporary history. Two of his works that have been translated into English are Four Reigns (ISBN 974-7100-66-5) and Many Lives (ISBN 974-7100-19-3).

He was also known as a staunch loyalist and served the monarchy for his whole life. He is considered by many to be one of the great statesmen of Thailand. But most of all, he is known as a veritable 'Thai public intellectual' and 'a great Thai writer'.[citation needed]|}}

  • Born on April 20, 1911 at Sing Buri Province
  • Great-grandmother Ampha, was of Chinese descent and was a consort of Rama II[1]
  • Son of Brigadier General Prince Khamrob and Mom Daeng (Bunnag) and younger brother of M.R. Seni Pramoj [2]
  • Served as a corporal during the Indo-China War with France in 1940.
  • Married to M.R. Pakpring Thongyai
  • Two Children, a son and daughter
  • Died October 9, 1995

  • M.R. Kukrit founded the Progress Party, the first political party in Thailand in 1945-1946.[citation needed]|}}
  • Appeared on screen with Marlon Brando in the movie The Ugly American (1963), in which he played Prime Minister Kwen Sai and spoke both Thai and English.
  • Established diplomatic ties with China in 1975.
  • Named National Artist in Literature 1985.
  • Received the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in 1990.
  • Founded the Khon Thammasat Troupe at Thammasat University, Khon being the highest form of dance drama in Thai classical dramatic arts.

When George Englund decided to use Thailand as the location for the fictional country portrayed in his film The Ugly American, Pramoj was appointed as cultural advisor to make sure the film accurately portrayed monarchy in a Buddhist country. Englund had difficulty casting the part of the fictional Prime Minister, but he was so impressed by Pramoj's cultural refinement and mastery of English that he offered him the part, saying, "I can't think of anyone who could play it better." Pramoj accepted, saying, according to Englund, "We are all actors anyway, and I think you're right that I could play it better than anyone."

The home that M.R. Kukrit built for himself in Bangkok has been registered by the Department of Fine Arts as 'Home of an Important Person'. It is open to the public on Saturdays, Sundays and official Thai holidays between 10am and 5pm.

Standing in two acres of land, surrounded by landscaped gardens, the house is a similar concept to the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok. Five small traditional Thai houses were dismantled and reassembled at the present site to make one house. The house is filled with artefacts and books collected by the owner.

Additions to the original house include air conditioning, a modern bathroom, and a lift was installed when the owner became too frail to climb up and down stairs.

The M.R. Kukrit Heritage Home is situated at 19 Soi Phra Pinit, South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120. Tel. +66 (0)2 286 8185. The nearest BTS Skytrain station is Chong Nonsi. English speaking guides are available to show visitors around. Photography is not allowed inside the house. The entrance fee is Bt50 for adults and Bt20 for children and students.

Most Thai were shocked by the portrayal of their revered nineteenth-century king, Mongkut, in the musical The King and I. The stage and screen versions were based on Margaret Landon's 1944 book entitled Anna and the King of Siam. To correct the record, well-known Thai intellectuals Seni and Kukrit Pramoj wrote this account in 1948. The Pramoj brothers sent their manuscript to the American politician and diplomat Abbot Low Moffat 1901-1996), who drew on it for his biography entitled Mongkut the King of Siam (1961) ISBN 9748298124. Moffat donated the Pramoj manuscript to the Library in 1961. (Southeast Asian Collection, Asian Division, Library of Congress)

  1. ^ Elliott Kulick, Dick Wilson. Thailand's Turn: Profile of a New Dragon (Thailand's Turn) (Paperback). Palgrave Macmillan, 84. ISBN 0312121881. 
  2. ^ An Impressive Day at M.R. Kukrit's Home; Thailand Bibliography
Preceded by
Seni Pramoj		 Prime Minister of Thailand
1975–1976		 Succeeded by
Seni Pramoj
v • d • e
Prime Ministers of Thailand
Flag of Thailand
Phraya Manopakorn Nititada · Phot Phahonyothin† · Plaek Pibulsonggram† · Khuang Abhaiwongse† · Tawee Boonyaket · Seni Pramoj · Khuang Abhaiwongse · Pridi Phanomyong · Thawal Thamrong Navaswadhi† · Khuang Abhaiwongse† · Plaek Pibulsonggram† · Pote Sarasin · Thanom Kittikachorn† · Sarit Dhanarajata† · Thanom Kittikachorn† · Sanya Dharmasakti · Seni Pramoj · Kukrit Pramoj · Seni Pramoj · Tanin Kraivixien · Kriangsak Chomanan† · Prem Tinsulanonda† · Chatichai Choonhavan† · Anand Panyarachun · Suchinda Kraprayoon† · Meechai Ruchuphan* · Anand Panyarachun · Chuan Leekpai · Banharn Silpa-Archa · Chavalit Yongchaiyudh · Chuan Leekpai · Thaksin Shinawatra · Surayud Chulanont†
* acting     † head of a military government
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukrit_Pramoj"
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