Ex-Thai PM Suchinda Kraprayoon, who cracked down on 1992 protests, dies at 91
He became one of the country’s most reviled politicians after 52 people were killed in the infamous ‘Black May’ episode
Suchinda Kraprayoon, an army commander in Thailand who in 1992 followed the Southeast Asian nation’s tradition of military strongmen assuming the reins of government, died on Tuesday at the age of 91, the state Thai News Agency reported.
Suchinda, who served just under seven weeks as prime minister, became one of the country’s most reviled politicians after the military used lethal force to quash protests alleging he took office by undemocratic means.
The episode became known as “Black May”.
The violence, during which 52 people were killed according to an official count, ended only when the country’s revered monarch, then-King Bhumibol Adulyadej, summoned Suchinda and protest leader Chamlong Srimuang for a scolding on a live television broadcast.
Suchinda stepped down and exited politics, living generally out of the public eye. He was respected by fellow officers and named chairman of a major Thai telecoms company.
He began his military career by attending Chulachomklao Military Academy, Thailand’s West Point, and did two study tours in the United States. He served a stint in a Thai unit supporting the US war effort in Vietnam, and was an assistant military attaché in 1971 at the Thai embassy in Washington.