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Mom Rajawongse Kukrit Pramoj
ม.ร.ว. คึกฤทธิ์ ปราโมช |
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| In office March 14, 1975 – January 12, 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Seni Pramoj |
| Succeeded by | Seni Pramoj |
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| Born | April 20, 1911 Singburi, Thailand |
| Died | October 9, 1995 (aged 84) Bangkok, Thailand |
| Nationality | Thai |
| Spouse | M.R. Pakpring Thongyai |
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Maj. Gen. Mom Rajawongse (M.R.) Kukrit Pramoj (Thai คึกฤทธิ์ ปราโมช; RTGS: Khuek-rit Pramot) (April 20, 1911 - October 9, 1995) was a Thai politician and scholar. He was the thirteenth Prime Minister of Thailand, serving in office from 1975-1976.
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Of royal descent, M.R. Kukrit Pramoj was born into an aristocratic family. Like all upper class Thais of his generation, his parents sent him and his siblings to boarding schools in England. He finished his Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Queen's College, University of Oxford. Upon arriving back to Thailand, his very first job was in banking. However, his true reputation lies in his mastery in many forms of arts, including politics and journalism.
He was a leading authority on traditional Thai culture and had a polymathic range of interests from Thailand's classical dance to literature. Most famous for his literary works, he was named a "National Artist" for literature in 1985, the inaugural year for the honor. And he received The Special Commemorative Prize of The Fukuoka Asian Culture Prizes in 1990, the inaugural year for the prizes again. His works encompass many subjects from humour to drama. He wrote passionately for Siam Rath (สยามรัฐ), the newspaper that he founded. He also wrote the famous historical novel Four Reigns (สี่แผ่นดิน), and many more. His unique sense of humour offered a satirical view of his age and he was often arrested for offending the powerful.
As a scholar, he also wrote many non-fiction works ranging from history, astrology and religion. Most notable, however, are his epics and many short stories portraying various aspects of life and documenting contemporary history. Two of his works that have been translated into English are Four Reigns (ISBN 974-7100-66-5) and Many Lives (ISBN 974-7100-19-3).
He was also known as a staunch loyalist and served the monarchy for his whole life. He is considered by many to be one of the great statesmen of Thailand. But most of all, he is known as a veritable 'Thai public intellectual' and 'a great Thai writer'.citation needed
His former home is now a heritage museum which is preserved paying homage to his life and Thai traditions.
When George Englund decided to use Thailand as the location for the fictional country portrayed in his film The Ugly American, Pramoj was appointed as cultural advisor to make sure the film accurately portrayed monarchy in a Buddhist country. Englund had difficulty casting the part of the fictional Prime Minister, but he was so impressed by Pramoj's cultural refinement and mastery of English that he offered him the part, saying, "I can't think of anyone who could play it better." Pramoj accepted, saying, according to Englund, "We are all actors anyway, and I think you're right that I could play it better than anyone."
The home that M.R. Kukrit built for himself in Bangkok has been registered by the Department of Fine Arts as 'Home of an Important Person'. It is open to the public on Saturdays, Sundays and official Thai holidays between 10am and 5pm.
Standing in 2 acres (8,100 m2) of land, surrounded by landscaped gardens, the house is a similar concept to the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok. Five small traditional Thai houses were dismantled and reassembled at the present site to make one house. The house is filled with artefacts and books collected by the owner.
Additions to the original house include air conditioning, a modern bathroom, and a lift was installed when the owner became too frail to climb up and down stairs.
The M.R. Kukrit Heritage Home is situated at 19 Soi Phra Pinit, South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120. Tel. +66 (0)2 286 8185. The nearest BTS Skytrain station is Chong Nonsi. English speaking guides are available to show visitors around. Photography is not allowed inside the house. The entrance fee is Bt50 for adults and Bt20 for children and students.
| Preceded by Seni Pramoj |
Prime Minister of Thailand 1975–1976 |
Succeeded by Seni Pramoj |
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The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the copyrighted Wikipedia "Kukrit Pramoj" article.
