Sarit Thanarat passes away Ruled with an iron hand, but won respect for his patriotism
Prime Minister Sarit Thanarat, 57, died in the arms of his wife, Vichitra Thanarat, and in the presence of his cabinet, top military officers and leading civil officials, at Phramongkutklao Military Hospital.
‘The prime minister has suffered a cerebral complication, in addition to his already existing lung inflammation, kidney and heart disease,’ said a medical bulletin issued three hours before he died.
The following day His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej made Gen Thanom Kittikachorn, Sarit’s vice premier, the new prime minister. Government officials and the court wore mourning dress for 21 days.
Sarit seized power in a 1957 coup and consolidated it in his 1958 ‘revolution’. Although he ruled Thailand with an iron hand, he was respected for his loyalty to the monarchy and his promotion of rural development, foreign investment and education.