- Kriangsak Chomanan
Infobox Prime Minister
name = Kriangsak Chamanan
เกรียงศักดิ์ ชมะนันท์
nationality = Thai
order = 15thPrime Minister of Thailand
monarch =Bhumibol Adulyadej
term_start =November 11 1977
term_end =March 3 1980
predecessor =Tanin Kraivixien
successor =Prem Tinsulanonda
birth_date = birth date|1917|12|17|df=y
birth_place =
death_date = death date and age|2003|12|23|1917|12|17|df=y
death_place =
spouse =Wirat Chomanan 
General Kriangsak Chomanan (17 December 1917ndash23 December 2003) served as prime minister of
Thailand from 1977 to 1980.A professional
soldier , General Kriangsak fought in theKorean War as well as in Vietnam against the communists. In 1977, being the Supreme Commander of the Thai army, he staged a successful "coup d'etat " against prime ministerTanin Kraivixien .General Kriangsak is widely credited for defusing a long-running
Communist insurgency in northern Thailand. Reportedly, he allowed the Chinese to ship arms to the rebelKhmer Rouge in Cambodia in exchange for China withdrawing its support of the rebels, although this is denied by the Thai government, which cites his offer ofamnesty as the primary reason.General Kriangsak voluntarily retired in February 1980 and was succeeded by General
Prem Tinsulanonda .External links
* [http://www.thaigov.go.th/general/prime/kriangsak42.htm Official biography]
* [http://www.economist.com/people/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2329646 Obituary in "The Economist"]
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