Chatichai Choonhavan

▪ 1999

      Thai politician (b. April 25, 1922, Bangkok, Thai.—d. May 6, 1998, London, Eng.), served as prime minister of Thailand during an economic boom in the late 1980s and was known for his carefree, flamboyant style. Chatichai—the only son of Phin Choonhavan, a prominent army officer and head of a powerful Thai family—became one of the country's youngest generals as a result of his father's influence. A 1951 coup led by his father gained Chatichai a Cabinet post, but when the government was ousted in 1957, he was sent on a diplomatic assignment to Argentina—tantamount to exile. After other diplomatic postings in Switzerland, Austria, Yugoslavia, and the Vatican, during which he developed Western tastes for wine, cigars, and sports cars, Chatichai returned to Thailand in 1972. He then formed the Thai Nation Party, rebuilding his family's old coalitions in preparation for the 1975 national elections. No party won a majority, and a succession of temporary governments followed, in which the charismatic, popular Chatichai was often prominent, holding a number of Cabinet posts. He became prime minister in 1988, with the goal of expanding Thailand's role in the Asian economy. His government deregulated business and promoted capital speculation, helping to produce unprecedented rates of economic growth and property development. Amid accusations of corruption, he was ousted in 1991. Chatichai maintained a base of power in the 1990s, however, by forming the Chart Pattana Party, a major opposition party. A quintessential wheeler-dealer whose popularity was unaffected by the taint of corruption that attended his entire political career, Chatichai maintained a breezy attitude that was symbolized by his slogan "no problem," a phrase he used repeatedly to answer his many critics.

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