Thawan Thamrongnawasawat (also spelt Thawal Thamrongnavaswadhi or Thawal Thamrongnavasawat; Thai: ถวัลย์ ธำรงนาวาสวัสดิ์, IPA: [tʰà.wǎn tʰam.roŋ.naː.waː.sà.wàt]; Chinese: 郑连淡; pinyin: Zhèng Liándàn[3][4]), born Thawan Tharisawat (Thai: ถวัลย์ ธารีสวัสดิ์, IPA: [tʰà.wǎn tʰaː.riː.sà.wàt]; 21 November 1901 – 3 December 1988), was the eighth Prime Minister of Thailand from 1946–1947. Before becoming a politician, he was a naval officer, holding the rank of rear admiral.

Education

Careers

Thawan Thamrongnavasawat on parliamentary speech in 1946

A career naval officer of Chinese ancestry, Thamrong was a leading member of the anti-Japanese Free Thai Movement resistance movement during World War II. He became Thailand's elected prime minister on 23 August 1946, replacing Pridi Banomyong. However, he was removed from office by a military coup orchestrated by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram on 8 November 1947. Khuang Aphaiwong then assumed the post of prime minister.[5]

After King Rama VII abdicated the throne, Thamrong was appointed by the government to be the leader of a faculty of representatives to travel to invite Prince Ananda Mahidol, who was living in Switzerland with his mother and two siblings, to ascend to the throne as King Rama VIII of the Chakri dynasty.

However, due to political fluctuations, a coup eventually occurred originating from within a group of soldiers led by Phin Choonhavan on 8 November 1947, resulting in Thamrong having to leave the country and stay in Hong Kong for a period. When Thamrong later returned to Thailand he was appointed as a member of the Constitutional Drafting Assembly. After that, he lived a relatively quietly life.

Death

Thawan Thamrongnawasawat died on 3 December 1988 at Phramongkutklao Hospital, aged 87 years, being the first and only naval officer to date who has served as prime minister.[citation needed]

Academic rank

Royal decorations

Thawan has received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand:

References

  1. ^ a b "พระราชทานยสทหาน" (PDF) (in Thai). Royal Thai Government Gazette. 17 September 1943. p. 2918. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  2. ^ "พระราชทานยสทหาน" (PDF) (in Thai). Royal Thai Government Gazette. 19 January 1943. p. 282. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  3. ^ [泰国] 洪林, 黎道纲主编 (April 2006). 泰国华侨华人研究. 香港社会科学出版社有限公司. pp. 17, 185. ISBN 962-620-127-4.
  4. ^ (in Chinese) 臺北科技大學紅樓資訊站 Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "ปิดตำนาน นายกฯ ลิ้นทอง พล.ร.ต.ถวัลย์ ธำรงนาวาสวัสดิ์". 3 December 2019.
  6. ^ [1] [bare URL PDF]