A journey through Thailand's past part 4

As the famous scientist Carl Sagan observed, "You must know the past to understand the present." In other words, "to understand how contemporary Thailand has formed, it is worth looking at history".

This series provides an overview of events from the period 1967 to 2017. Each part covers a period of five years and is sure to hold surprises for even the most knowledgeable Thai history buffs.

Part 4: Period 1982-1986

In 1982, the Central Plaza Lat Phrao shopping mall was opened. The Thai Trade Union Congress was founded and Thammasat University appointed Professor Nongyao Chaise as its first female rector. The Communications Authority of Thailand announced the arrival of a new postal system.

January

Thousands of Thai soldiers, police officers and rangers, supported by planes and helicopters, converged on the base of drug lord Khun Sa, also known as the 'Opium King', in Ban Hin Taek in Chiang Rai province. The raid followed intelligence reports that an opium caravan of 200 smugglers had been sighted near the Thai-Burmese border. It was the largest operation to date against the drug lord, backed by the Shan United Army.

The old Sunday market near Sanam Luang was replaced by a new weekend market near Chatuchak Park, despite numerous protests from vendors against the move. The move had been planned since 1978, but was delayed by the protests. Eventually, a total of 979 vendors moved to the new location and started selling the same goods they had been selling in Sanam Luang. Chatuchak Market director Witoonphant Wannachamrae said the new market was much cleaner than the muddy mess in Sanam Luang.

In its first prisoner exchange treaty with another country, Thailand agreed to exchange prisoners with the United States. The repatriated US prisoners would continue to serve sentences imposed by Thai courts in the US and would be eligible for parole or amnesty as granted by the US justice system. As for Thai prisoners repatriated from the US, it was reported that they could be released under an amnesty program.

February

Bangkok Bank, the largest commercial bank in Southeast Asia, opened its 32-storey headquarters on Silom Road. At 126 meters, it was the tallest building in Bangkok at the time. About 4.000 guests attended the opening ceremony hosted by the bank's chairman. Afterwards, a large Royal Garuda was revealed. It took five years and more than a billion baht to build the building.

March

Six people were killed and more than 100 injured when southern communists detonated a car bomb at a provincial house in Surat Thani province. The powerful explosion damaged walls and the roof as well as other nearby buildings.

April

The country celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Chakri dynasty with Bangkok as the country's capital. The Thai king and queen and other members of the royal family led a fleet of 51 royal barges down the Chao Phraya River. The event was witnessed by hundreds of thousands of people who gathered on the banks of the river.

Hand grenades were thrown into the ring during an event at the busy Lumpini Boxing Stadium on Rama IV Road. The target of the attack was apparently Klaew Thanikul, a Thai-Chinese entrepreneur and boxing promoter allegedly involved in gambling, prostitution, narcotics and human trafficking. Klaew was in the stadium but was unharmed. After the explosions, his apparently drunk bodyguards opened fire on the crowd with submachine guns, killing four people and injuring 67. That night the shells maimed the manager of an athlete who was going to fight. Both his legs eventually had to be amputated. Klaew became famous as the first promoter to successfully combine Muay Thai with the more lucrative western style of boxing.

Mei

The King, Queen and Princes Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presided over the ceremony to open the Taksin Bridge, also known as the Sathorn Bridge. After the ceremony, the royals drove across the bridge in their motorcade. Construction of the bridge over the Chao Phraya River began in February 1979.

About 500 Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) insurgents operating in the rural areas of Loei, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun provinces surrendered to the Thai government. CPT leaders said government forces had inflicted heavy casualties on them and more insurgents would surrender.

July

Thailand formally recognized the anti-Vietnamese coalition government of Democratic Kampuchea. Khmer People's National Liberation Front leaders Prince Norodom Sihanouk and Prime Minister Son Sann were honored with a banquet by Thailand's foreign minister. It was Prince Sihanouk's first trip to Thailand since 1953 after years of hostility.

Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda escaped an assassination attempt when an M-72 missile was fired at him. Prem was at the Lopburi Artillery Center unveiling a statue of former Prime Minister Phibun Songkhram when the attack took place. The rocket hit a tree and Prem was unharmed. Five soldiers were arrested and charged with attempted murder and illegal possession of weapons of war.

A new government policy gave more freedom to students, the media and political factions, including communists, to encourage and promote democratization and weaken the communist insurgency. The policy emphasized political strategies over military force and guaranteed freedom to former insurgents who had recently returned from the jungle.

August

Another assassination attempt was made against Prime Minister Prem when a hand grenade was thrown into his home from a nearby army club. The explosion caused some damage to the building, but no one was injured. Asked about the attack, Prem said: "Anyone who went through such an experience would be shocked."

September

Mukdahan was designated as the 73rd Thai province. Before that, this new northeastern province was a district of Nakhon Phanom province. Mukdahan's new governor pledged to focus on development and suppress insurgency and crime.

December

A powerful bomb exploded in the office of former Iraqi consul and prominent Thai businessman Lek Nana in Bangkok's Chinatown. The police-experienced disposal expert Lieutenant Colonel Surat Sumanan of the police was killed when he tried to defuse the bomb, which was hidden in a briefcase. At least 20 other people were injured. Mr. Nana was out of the office at the time. The blast damaged the building and the fire that followed damaged five other buildings. Nana's office used to be the Iraqi Consulate. The bombing is said to be related to the ongoing war between Iran and Iraq. In the same year, Nana became Secretary General of the Democratic Party under party leader Bhichai Rattakul.

1983

1983 was the year the American School of Bangkok was founded along with entertainment giant GMM Grammy and Land and Houses, a real estate development company. A special rescue and counter-terrorism unit of the Royal Thai Police known as Naraesuan 261 was launched.

January

Three Thai men armed with knives boarded a Thai Airways plane and took seven passengers and four crew members hostage at Lampang airport, demanding to be flown to Chiang Rai. They were told the plane needed refueling in Chiang Mai. After the plane landed in Chiang Mai, two pilots jumped out of the plane and two flight attendants and a passenger escaped through the back door of the plane. The hijackers continued to hold the other passengers hostage, demanding a new plane and pilot, parachutes and 300.000 baht. When their deadline passed, the hijackers seized a pickup truck and drove off with the hostages, who were later released unharmed. Police arrested a man believed to be the mastermind a week later. He said he wanted to hijack the plane because he had been treated unfairly by colleagues and wanted to prove he could do what he wanted.

The first 3.500 barrels of oil from the Sirikit oil field near Lan Krabue in Kamphaeng Phet province arrived in 19 tankers at the Bang Chak refinery in Bangkok. Authorities said the locally produced and refined oil would reduce Thailand's dependence on imports and save hundreds of millions of baht in foreign exchange.

March

The first ATM in Thailand was installed by Siam Commercial Bank and started a new era in personal banking in Thailand.

It was revealed that the famous movie star Petchara Chaowarat was almost blind. She made dozens of films during a career spanning two decades. Petchara suffered from cataracts caused by the glare of light reflectors in front of cameras. In 1960, she made her first movie, Love Diary of Pimchawee, and became an instant star.

Parliament was surprisingly dissolved when Prime Minister Prem called for a general election on April 18. The elections were called amid tensions over a divisive, military-backed constitutional amendment that parliament had rejected.

April

In the general election, three coalition partners won 221 of 324 seats in the House of Representatives: Social Action Party led by MR Kukrit Pramoj won 93 seats; Major General Praman Adireksan's Chart Thai Party won 72 seats and the Democratic Party led by Bhichit Rattakul won 50 seats. After the election, Prime Minister Prem announced that he would retire from politics, but changed his mind and agreed to serve another term.

Under the new legislation, the mandatory wearing of a Thai identity card was lowered from 17 to 15 years. Under the new law, citizens of Thailand between the ages of 15 and 70 were required to carry their identity cards at all times. The fine for not carrying ID was 200 baht and this was also applied for not renewing ID. Any person carrying or attempting to obtain a false ID risked five years in prison and a 100.000 baht fine.

What used to be one of the country's largest communist bases, Phu Hin Rong Kla (Loei/Phetchabun/Phitsanulok), became Thailand's 48th national park in a ceremony presided over by Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army General Arthit Kamlang-ek .

Mei

Shooting for 'The Killing Fields' began, transforming Tha Din Daeng Road in Thonburi and part of Nakhon Pathom province into film sets. The film, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won three, was shot entirely in Thailand in Bangkok, Phuket, Cha-am, Hua Hin, Phi Mai Historical Park and Khao Yai National Park. The film is based on a New York Times reporter's search for a Cambodian friend and colleague he last saw in Phnom Penh when it was overtaken by the Khmer Rouge in 1975.

An electric two-seater car developed by two engineers from King's Mongut's Institute of Technology was tested on Silom and Rama IV roads in Bangkok. The maximum speed was reportedly 50 km/h and the car could travel 80 km on a single battery charge, costing only 20 baht in electricity, according to an engineer.

A government source said Thailand's strategic location in the region and "security holes" made the country a center for espionage. The source said some countries used their embassies and offices for trade, tourism and airlines for intelligence gathering. A counter-intelligence report said 52 Soviet spies, including KGB agents, had formed a network in Thailand. In September 1983, it was reported that 33 agents attached to the Soviet embassy on Sathorn Road, the Soviet trade mission and Aeroflot had quietly left Thailand.

August

Bangkok's largest clothing and textile market was ravaged by a fire that destroyed about 300 stalls and 10 shophouses in the Pahurat area. A firefighter was injured. The damage was estimated at 50 million baht. About 35 fire trucks were called to put out the fire.

A Thai man convicted of forging bank guarantee letters and using them to obtain temporary residence permits for 1.086 foreign nationals was sentenced to 2.166 years in prison. However , according to the new Penal Code Act , his prison term may not exceed 20 years .

October

Flooding and storms caused by Tropical Depressions Herbert and Kim caused widespread devastation in 42 provinces. Forty-two people were killed and property damage was estimated at 625 million baht. The storms affect the central, northeastern and eastern regions of the country. About 5.000 homes, hundreds of schools and temples, infrastructure and crops were flooded. Bangkok was paralyzed as many roads were flooded for several days.

November

Boxer Payao Poontarat, 27, a native of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, was crowned super flyweight champion of the World Boxing Council after beating Rafael Orono of Venezuela in a split decision. The fight took place in Pattaya. Payao started as a Muay Thai boxer and later moved to the international style of boxing.

December

More than 5.000 communist sympathizers laid down their weapons in a ceremony led by Supreme Commander General Arthit. About 30.000 residents witnessed the ceremony in Nan.

1984

1984 is the year Yanhee International Hospital came on the scene with cosmetic treatments and procedures; the Mae La Refugee Camp was established in Tha Song Yang District of Tak Province; and the River City Bangkok shopping mall was opened. For the fourth year in a row, the Oriental Hotel has been named the best hotel in the world by Institutional Investor magazine.

February

The crime-fighting police began using four newly installed computers to store data on criminals and suspects. The computers had space to store data for at least 100.000 individuals.

Bangkok was plunged into even more traffic chaos than usual on Feb. 3 after the government introduced a new one-way system in the city center. Traffic jams began in the morning and continued into the night as police desperately tried to divert confused motorists. The chaos continued for several days. After two weeks, the government admitted that the new system was a failure.

March

The Thai army captured 40 Vietnamese troops in Si Saket province, bordering Cambodia, after they entered Thailand while pursuing Khmer resistance fighters. The incident was not the first time Vietnamese troops had invaded Thai soil.

April

More than 80.000 people fled Cambodia and sought safety in refugee camps in Thailand to escape the violence of a dry-season offensive by Vietnamese forces against Cambodian nationalists.

A plane taking off from Bangkok landed for the first time in Krabi at the southern coastal province's new airport. Hundreds of people attended, including Krabi Mayor Chuan Phukaoluan, who said the flight was an important step to promote tourism and attract investors.

Mei

Pope John Paul II visited Thailand and met the King and Queen. A mass held at the National Stadium in Bangkok was attended by about 45.000 Catholics and another 40.000 attended mass at St. Joseph's College in Nakhon Pathom.

Queen Rambhai Barni, the widow of King Rama VII, died of heart failure at Sukhothai Palace in Samsen. She was 80 years old. Her body was transferred to the Grand Palace for the bathing ritual and a 100-day mourning period began.

July

American journalist and war correspondent Alan Dawson was expelled from Thailand. The government claimed he had written articles harmful to Thailand without saying which ones were offensive. Dawson was a passenger on the last plane to leave Saigon after it fell to the Communists.

Nineteen people were killed and another 46 injured when a crowd went berserk at a charity event at a Chinese temple in Thonburi. The tragedy occurred hours before the distribution of four kilograms of rice and other items after about 4.000 people entered the narrow Soi Sula leading to the temple. Most of the victims were children.

August

Noted lawyer and human rights activist Thongbai Thongpao was named the 1984 winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for public service. The jury called Thongbai a 'legal champion for the oppressed'. Thongbai began his career as a reporter for several newspapers and was imprisoned for six years by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat after a visit he and a group of journalists made to China in 1957.

From Los Angeles, welterweight boxer Tawee Ampornmaha returned home to a hero's welcome after becoming the first Thai boxer to win an Olympic silver medal. Thousands of fans came to greet him at Don Muang airport.

October

The first case of AIDS in Thailand was reported. The patient was identified as a postgraduate student in his XNUMXs who apparently became infected while studying in the US.

Thailand has been elected to the United Nations Security Council. In the fourth and final ballot involving 156 UN member states, Thailand received 109 votes and Mongolia 49. There were attempts to discredit Thailand over its conflict with Laos over three border villages.

November

Debrithi Devakul, pioneer in making artificial rain and inventor of the 'iron buffalo', died in Bumrungrad hospital after a heart attack. He was appointed by the king to lead the artificial rain project and carried out his first rain production operation in 1971.

The Thai baht was devalued by 17,3% from 23 to 27 per US dollar in an effort to address Thailand's 38 billion baht trade deficit and 248 billion baht external debt. Some cabinet ministers denounced Finance Minister Sommai Hoontrakul, saying the devaluation would negatively affect the country's economy.

Dr. Snoh Unakul, secretary general of the National Economic and Social Development Board, has been hailed as one of the masterminds behind Thailand's emerging economic "miracle". Snoh was one of Prem's most trusted allies.

December

Hundreds of thousands of people took part in a 30-minute walk from Sanam Luang to the Royal Plaza in honor of the king's 57th birthday. The participants were greeted by Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who received the best wishes from the people on behalf of the king. Millions of people showed up at other charity walks in the provinces.

1985

1985 witnessed the opening of retail giant MBK Center, also known as Mahboonrong. The Site Two refugee camp, opened by the Thai government on the Cambodian border, was for many years the largest camp in Southeast Asia. The Bira International Circuit was opened in Pattaya, a car race track named after Prince Birabongse Bhanutej Bhanubandh.

February

The king attended the opening of a coal-fired power station in the Mae Moh district of Lampang province. The project, one of the largest plants of its kind in the world, implemented the construction of seven lignite-fired generators and two others to be completed in 1989. The coal-fired generators are expected to save the country more than 5,5 billion baht annually.

The first McDonald's restaurant opened in Bangkok. More than 100 people rushed to the outlet when it opened in the Amarin Plaza shopping center on Ploenchit Road. The American fast food company announced plans to open four more restaurants in Bangkok within the year.

It was reported that 22 alleged hitmen were killed by police and another 15 arrested. According to police sources, another 53 armed men in Bangkok escaped the police. The hitmen were reportedly paid between 10.000 and 200.000 baht for a lethal settlement, depending on the status of the victim.

April

Queen Rambhai Barni's cremation ceremony was presided over by the King and Queen at Sanam Luang. At the first royal funeral since 1956, tens of thousands of mourners lined the roads of Maha Rat and Sanam Chai to pay their respects as the funeral procession passed by.

Mei

The US Congress approved Thailand's request to purchase 12 F-16 fighter jets at a cost of $318 million, payable over five years. The jets would be delivered in 1988-1989.

Prime Minister Prem admitted that Royal Thai Navy ships were involved in smuggling goods to Thailand. A report from the Treasury Department alleged that at least seven naval vessels were used to smuggle cars, electrical appliances, computers and other products.

August

Riots in Bang Khwang prison resulted in the deaths of 10 inmates after a heavily armed group stormed police and prison guards inside the prison. It took five hours to restore order. The facility held more than 7.000 inmates at the time.

September

Four people were killed and 59 wounded in a shootout at a government radio station that erupted after an attempted coup. Among the dead were American NBC journalist Neil Davis and his soundman William Latch. Forces loyal to Prem crushed the coup led by a group of rebels led by former 'Young Turks' soldier Colonel Manoonkrit Roopkachorn and his brother Manas. Both were dismissed from the army after an earlier failed coup attempt on April 1, 1981. After this last coup attempt, both were allowed to leave the country to avoid more bloodshed. The coup was carried out while Prem was visiting Indonesia.

November

Major General Chamlong Srimuang was elected governor of Bangkok. As an independent candidate, Chamlong scored a huge victory winning in all 24 districts of Bangkok.

Representatives of tin mines in southern Thailand said 90% of all mines would close if prices continued to fall, threatening the livelihoods of about 30.000 miners. Chamnan Pojana, head of the employment ministry said she could do little to find new jobs for the miners.

Prime Minister Prem was punched on the nose by an allegedly mentally disturbed student, Kwanchai Vorasut, aged 27. The incident occurred after Prem left the closing ceremony of the Intervarsity games at Ramkhamhaeng University in Bangkok. Kwanchai was taken to Hua Mark Police Station for questioning. It was reported that he had previously been admitted to psychiatric hospitals several times.

December

Poppy fields were destroyed by soldiers in Ban Pang Oong in the mountainous northern Thai province of Mae Hong Son. The eradication campaign was launched by the Third Army and anti-narcotics agencies tasked with destroying about 25.000 rai opium fields in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Chiang Ra and Nan provinces.

Specially trained commandos equipped with military helicopters were deployed to Sakhon Nakhon Provincial Prison, where 13 inmates armed with hand grenades and knives had taken the governor and four guards hostage on New Year's Eve. After two days of negotiations, the prisoners emerged from the building with the hostages, holding grenades to their heads and demanding guns and getaway vehicles. The commandos killed 10 of the prisoners and two more were taken to prison and shot while apparently trying to flee. A prisoner was reportedly previously killed by other prisoners for refusing to cooperate with the escape plan.

1986

1986 saw the opening of the Shangri-La Hotel and Vibhavadi Hospital in Bangkok, as well as the establishment of the mobile phone operator Advance Information Service (AIS).

January

The king performed the official opening of the Khao Laem Dam in Kanchanaburi province. The dam was equipped with 1000-kilowatt generators and took five years to complete.

February

After an ambush by CPT guerrillas that left nine soldiers wounded, Thai military gunships attacked CPT strongholds in Betong in Yala province.

According to city data, of the 38.288 couples who married in Bangkok in 1985, 8.865 had already divorced. Advisor to City Clerk Anek Singtoroj said divorce rates were on the rise, especially among people aged 40-50 and those most economically secure.

March

The cabinet approved a proposal from the Ministry of Communications led by Samak Sundaravej to scrap a planned 20 billion baht international airport at Nong Ngu Hao in Samut Prakan. The plan to build the airport there had been discussed for some two decades and the government had reportedly already spent a billion baht on a feasibility study. Samak told the cabinet that the project would be unprofitable. Eventually, Suvarnabhumi Airport was built on the site.

April

Pizza Hut became the largest restaurant chain in Thailand after opening its sixth branch in the Siam Jusco department store.

Mei

Prime Minister Prem unexpectedly replaced General Arthit for Army Commander-in-Chief General Chavalit Youngchaiyut. Analysts said the reason for the abrupt change of command was the perception that General Arthit was a threat to Prem's power.

Parliament was dissolved by the king after the government narrowly lost a vote on a proposal to increase registration fees for diesel and LPG vehicles.

June

A state of emergency was declared in Phuket after a mob set fire to a controversial 1,2 billion baht tantalum factory due to open in October. The factory was damaged beyond repair. About 50.000 people protested for weeks against the plant's arrival, claiming it would destroy the environment and tourism. When Industry Minister Chirayu Issarangkul went to Phuket to discuss the matter, he was confronted by the mob, who went to the factory and set it on fire. The mob also set fire to the five-star Phuket Merlin hotel where the minister was staying, causing damage estimated at 50 million baht. Forty-seven people were arrested and charged with arson and looting.

July

The Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT) introduced a mobile telephone system at the Siam Intercontinental Hotel in Bangkok.

The port of Klong Toey was paralyzed after hundreds of workers went on a two-day strike to protest a cabinet decision allowing Express Transit Authority to take over the crane service from the Port Authority of Thailand.

August

Prem was named the country's 27th Prime Minister following the July 16 general election. The Democratic Party won 100 seats, the Chart Thai Party 63, the Social Action Party 51 and the Rassadorn Party 18 seats.

With Prem's approval, the 28 'Young Turks' who had been expelled from the army after the failed coup of 1 April 1981 were allowed to return to their posts.

Thai snooker teen Wattana Pu-Ob-Orm, aka 'James' Wattana, won the Camus Masters Championship at the Chiang Mai Plaza Hotel. The 16-year-old defeated three-time world champion Steve Davies in the semi-final and Terry Griffiths in the final.

September

Parliament passed amendments to the Penal Code, which make having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 15, with or without consent, punishable by life imprisonment.

October

The interior minister told the governors of the southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat to lift the ban on Islamic dress for female state officials.

November

A runaway train broke through the barriers at Hua Lamphong railway station in Bangkok, killing four people and injuring four others.

*Sources for this story include archives from UPI, AFP, AP, the Bangkok Post, The Nation, and Wikipedia and freely translated from Big Chilli online magazine https://is.gd/UFMwJI

Postscript: I think there are readers who visited Thailand during this period and I am curious what memories they have of that period.