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end of WW2
End of World War II. Thailand compelled to return territory it had seized from Laos, Cambodia and Malaya. Exiled King Ananda returns -
King Ananda assassinated
King Ananda assassinated. -
Military retains power
Military coup by the wartime, pro-Japanese leader Phibun Songkhram. The military retain power until 1973 -
thailand permits US bases
Thailand permits US to use bases there during the Vietnam War. Thai troops fight in South Vietnam. Short-lived civilian rule -
Student riots bring fall of military gov.
Student riots in Bangkok bring about the fall of the military government. Free elections are held but the resulting governments lack stability. -
Military takes over again
The military takes over again -
New constitution enforced
New constitution promulgated -
tinsulanonda assumes power
General Prem Tinsulanonda assumes power -
Prem heads a civilian gov.
Prem gives up his military position and heads a civilian government. He is re-elected in 1986. -
choonhaven replaces Prem
General Chatichai Choonhaven replaces Prem after elections -
Panyarachun becomes Prime Minister
Military coup, the 17th since 1932. A civilian, Anand Panyarachun, is installed as prime minister -
Anand replaced with Kraprayoon/Leekpai becomes Prime Minister
New elections in March replace Anand with General Suchinda Kraprayoon. There are demonstrations against him, forcing him to resign. Anand is re-instated temporarily. Elections in September see Chuan Leekpai, leader of the Democratic Party, chosen as prime minister -
Gov. collapses
Government collapses. Banharn Silpa-archa, of the Thai Nation party, elected prime minister -
Yongchaiyudh wins elections
Banharn's government resigns, accused of corruption. Chavalit Yongchaiyudh of the New Aspiration party wins elections -
Asian financial crisis
Asian financial crisis: The baht falls sharply against the dollar, leading to bankruptcies and unemployment. The IMF steps in. Chuan Leekpai becomes prime minister -
Workers sent back to original countries
Chuan expects economy to contract by 3.5% after years of growth. Tens of thousands of migrant workers are sent back to their countries of origin. Chuan involves the opposition in his government in order to enable him to push through economic reforms. -
Plane bombed
A plane Thaksin is due to board explodes. Police say a bomb is to blame -
Economy picks up/ Thailand wants drugs cheaper
Economy begins to pick up again. Thai media highlight high cost of drug treatments for Aids and HIV. Thailand begins to pressurise drugs companies to find ways to make the drugs cheaper. -
Thaksin visits Burma to discuss drug and border tensions
Prime Minister Thaksin visits Burma to discuss drugs and border tensions. He says relations are now back on track. Within days the Mae Sai-Tachilek border crossing is opened again after clashes between Thai and Burmese troops in February -
thaksin forms a coalition gov.
Elections won by Thaksin Shinawatra of the new Thais Love Thais party. Allegations of vote-buying in some areas force a partial re-run of the election. Thaksin forms a coalition government -
Burma closes border with Thailand
Burma closes border with Thailand after Thai army fires shells into Burma during battle between Burmese army and ethnic Shan rebels. Border reopens in October. -
Crackdown on drugs
Controversial crackdown on drugs starts; more than 2,000 suspects are killed by late April. The government blames many killings on criminal gangs; rights groups say extra-judicial killings were encouraged by the authorities -
Monsoon hits
Thousands of people are killed when massive waves, caused by a powerful undersea earthquake off the Indonesian coast, devastate communities on the south-west coast, including the resort of Phuket. -
Thaksin accuses people of plotting his assassination
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra accuses several army officers of plotting to kill him after police find a car containing bomb-making materials near his house -
First draft of Constitution approved
First draft of a new constitution is approved by a committee appointed by the military administration -
Return to civilian rule
Return to civilian rule. Samak Sundaravej is sworn in as prime minister -
Mass protests for Sundaravej
State of emergency declared in Bangkok after thousands of pro- and anti-government demonstrators clash in the city. The clashes followed a week of mass protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, and the occupation by protesters of Bangkok's main government complex -
cancellation of ASEAN summit
Continuing unrest forces the cancellation of an ASEAN summit after anti-government protesters storm the summit venue in the resort of Pattaya -
Abhisit rejects mass protest demands
Prime Minister Abhisit rejects a demand by mass pro-Thaksin "red-shirt" protesters in Bangkok to quit and call elections. Protesters pour donated blood under the gates of Government House. Abhisit declared state of emergency in Bangkok as anti-government "red shirt" protests continue