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Thanom leaves monkhood

.NZPA-Reuter Bangkok ■ The former Thai military ruler. Field-Marshall Thanom Kittikachorn. has left the Buddhist monkhood he joined after returning to Thailand from exile last September. ( The shaven-headed former Prime Minister who is 65. discarded his orange Buddhist robes and emerged from the roval temple in Western- ( style clothes. ! His return from exile on I September 19. last year, (sparked off student protests that led to fighting between Leftist students and police and to the military take-over in Bangkok on October 6. Field-Marshal Thanom entered the monkhood according to Buddhist tradition to “win merit" for his ailing 91-year-old father. Before his return he had spent nearly two years in self-imposed exile in Singapore.

He fled the country on the advice of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in October. 1973. after 72 persons had been killed in police and army shooting after a student-led mass uprising.

1 On his return, the Leftisi I students demanded that h< [should again leave the coun I try or face charges relating ito the 72 deaths. i It was later officially announced that these charge [against Field-Marshall Tha nom and his former deput; Prime Minister, Mr Prapha Charusathien, had beet dropped.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19770222.2.81

Bibliographic details

Press, 22 February 1977, Page 8

Word Count
196

Thanom leaves monkhood Press, 22 February 1977, Page 8

Thanom leaves monkhood Press, 22 February 1977, Page 8