Puey Ungpakorn was the author of From Womb to Tomb: The Quality of Life of a South-East Asian, which to date remains one of the most influential writings about social security in Thailand.
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27 Facts About Puey Ungpakorn
2.
Puey Ungpakorn's studies were interrupted by the Second World War, when he joined the Free Thai resistance movement opposed to the pro-Japanese military regime of Plaek Phibunsongkhram.
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3.
Puey Ungpakorn was captured as a prisoner of war in 1944 after parachuting into Chai Nat Province on a reconnaissance mission.
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4.
Puey Ungpakorn completed his studies after the war, receiving a doctorate in 1948.
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5.
Puey Ungpakorn joined the Ministry of Finance in 1949, serving in a progression of senior posts before becoming central bank governor in 1959.
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6.
At 43, and serving for over 12 years, until 1971, Puey Ungpakorn is to date both the youngest person appointed as, and the longest serving, Governor of the Bank of Thailand.
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7.
Puey Ungpakorn was a proponent of financial co-operation in Southeast Asia, leading to the establishment of regional financial and institutions such as SEACEN.
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8.
Puey Ungpakorn was awarded the Magsaysay Award in the field of government service in 1965.
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9.
An active academic, Puey Ungpakorn was simultaneously Dean of the Faculty of Economics of Thammasat University from 1964 to 1972.
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10.
Puey Ungpakorn was born the fourth child of an immigrant Chinese fishmonger and a second generation Thai Chinese mother, with ancestry from Raoping.
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11.
Puey Ungpakorn's studies were as a result interrupted, and he joined the Free Thai Movement resisting the pro-Japanese government, helping to organise the movement in the United Kingdom.
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12.
Puey Ungpakorn was commissioned as a Captain into the British Army and underwent vigorous training with the Special Operations Executive, In November 1944 he parachuted into Chai Nat Province in northern Thailand as part of Operation APPRECIATION, intended to establish contact with the influential and anti-Japanese politician Pridi Banomyong.
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13.
Puey Ungpakorn was captured almost immediately, and remained technically a prisoner of war until the Japanese surrender in September 1945, though he in fact made contact with Free Thai members of the Thai police and was able to work with them from his jail cell.
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15.
Puey Ungpakorn's thesis, dated 1949, was titled The economics of tin control.
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16.
In 1953, Puey Ungpakorn was appointed Deputy Governor of the Bank of Thailand.
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17.
Puey Ungpakorn served in both posts until Sanya's ministry was succeeded by the elected government of Seni Pramoj following elections in 1975.
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18.
In 1966 Puey Ungpakorn became the dean of the Faculty of Economics at his alma mater, Thammasat University, where his work with the Rockefeller Foundation and with foreign scholars dramatically upgraded the training of Thailand's future technocrats.
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19.
Puey Ungpakorn instituted a long-term research project on raising the productivity and economic level of Thai villagers.
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20.
Puey Ungpakorn played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Bangkok-based Asian Institute of Technology, previously the Graduate School of Engineering of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization in 1967.
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21.
Dr Puey Ungpakorn became the first chairperson of the AIT Board of Trustees from 1968 to 1973.
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22.
However, after a great deal of self-examination, Puey Ungpakorn disavowed all interest in such a candidacy and returned to Thammasat, where he was appointed rector.
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23.
Puey Ungpakorn's explanation was that when he had joined the Free Thai Movement he had taken an oath never to seek or accept political appointment until after reaching the age of retirement.
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24.
Some have argued that Puey Ungpakorn's withdrawal was based upon his mature understanding of the nature of society and that he had accurately foreseen that the upcoming democratic period would be inherently unstable, dangerous, and short-lived.
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25.
In 1977, Puey Ungpakorn gave testimonials before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs investigating human rights in Thailand following the incident of 6 October 1976 Massacre.
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26.
In September 1977, Puey Ungpakorn suffered a haemorrhagic stroke and was confined to a hospital for three months.
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27.
Puey Ungpakorn could walk by himself, but was unable to control his right hand.
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