Suchinda Kraprayoon, who served briefly as Thailand's Prime Minister after a military coup in 1991, has died at the age of 91. He passed away in a Bangkok hospital on June 10, with news presented by the Thai News Agency. His tumultuous leadership began with a coup that removed a civilian government accused of corruption, marking Thailand's 17th military coup attempt in six decades.
Despite his initial promise to avoid taking the prime ministerial role, Suchinda accepted the position in April 1992, leading to mass protests against his governance, dubbed as "Suchinda’s second coup." The protests intensified from May 17, resulting in violent confrontations where government troops opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. This brutal repression became known as Black May, solidifying Suchinda’s legacy as a controversial figure in Thai politics.
Suchinda’s tenure lasted only 48 days before he resigned amid public outrage. This episode acted as a turning point, subsequently causing military leaders to reconsider their direct involvement in political matters for over a decade, a significant shift in Thailand’s historically military-dominated government.
