1. Kriangsak Chamanan ruled until 1980 and is credited with "steering Thailand to democracy" in a time where communist insurgents were rampant internally and neighbouring countries turned to communist rule following the communist takeover of Vietnam: South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Kriangsak Chamanan was survived by his wife Khun Ying Virat Chomanan, son Major General Pongpipat Chomanan and daughter Ratanawan.
Kriangsak Chamanan was born on 17 December 1917 in Mahachai Subdistrict, Mueang Samut Sakhon District, Samut Sakhon Province, a prominent Chinese trading port to the southwest of Bangkok.
Kriangsak Chamanan was born to a wealthy business family that ran the Mahachai trading company, which dealt in importing and exporting goods between Thailand and the West and Japan.
From age six to twelve, Kriangsak attended Samut Sakhon Wittayalai and later Patumkongka School.
Kriangsak Chamanan fought in the Korean War as a commander of the Thai Army in the 21st Infantry Regiment, which earned the nickname "Little Tigers" for their valour.
Kriangsak Chamanan showed exemplary skills as a major, playing a pivotal role in defending Pork Chop Hill.
On 15 March 1953, by direction of the US president and under the provision of the 1942 Act of the US Congress, then-lieutenant Kriangsak Chamanan became one among few non-US military personnel to be awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services.
Kriangsak Chamanan became a full general in 1973, and army chief of staff a year later.
In 1977, Kriangsak Chamanan was part of the National Administrative Reform Council, which staged a successful coup d'etat against Prime Minister Thanin Kraivichien.
Kriangsak Chamanan was later appointed the new prime minister by a majority vote through both the National Assembly and the NARC.
Kriangsak Chamanan started a successful amnesty program for communists as part of a reconciliation policy.
Kriangsak Chamanan is widely credited with defusing the long-running communist insurgency in northern Thailand.
Kriangsak Chamanan was reported to have met in 1979 with Deng Xiaoping, then supreme leader of the People's Republic of China, allowing China to ship arms to the rebel Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in exchange for the PRC withdrawing its support for the communist insurgency in Thailand.
Kriangsak Chamanan's government launched a major diplomatic offensive to press for the withdrawal of all Vietnamese forces from Cambodia and for continued international recognition of Democratic Kampuchea under Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime.
Kriangsak Chamanan enlisted more civilians to top jobs than any previous regime, granted amnesty to communists and dissidents who were jailed for fighting a military crackdown in 1976, promulgated the country's 12th constitution, and set up a timetable for full parliamentary democracy in 1979.
Kriangsak Chamanan came to power in November 1977 and quickly adopted a new and actively independent foreign policy, compared to Thanin's rigid stance.
Kriangsak Chamanan travelled extensively, visiting the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union, in addition to the United States.
Toward the end of his premiership, Kriangsak Chamanan was able to restore close and friendly relations with the United States.
Thailand, especially under Kriangsak Chamanan, calculated that the most serious threat to Democratic Kampuchea came from Vietnam and that the Khmer Rouge must eventually come to terms with Thailand if they were to have any chance whatever of survival.
Kriangsak Chamanan strengthened relations with the United States, and was warmly received in his first state visit to the White House with US President Jimmy Carter on 6 February 1979.
Kriangsak Chamanan voluntarily resigned in February 1980, telling parliament that he no longer felt he had the support of the public.
Kriangsak Chamanan was the first and only leader of a coup in Thailand ever to resign voluntarily, and was celebrated for his decision, often cited in comparison to many of Thailand's past military governments.
Kriangsak Chamanan was succeeded by General Prem Tinsulanonda, his former longtime aide.