Chamlong Srimuang

Cham Srimuang ( Thai: จำลอง ศรี เมือง, RTGS: Cham Long Simueang, pronunciation: [ t͡ɕamlɔ ː ŋ ː sǐ mɯaŋ ]; born July 5, 1935 in Thonburi ) is a Thai politician and former military. After retiring from the army he was from 1985 to 1992 governor of Bangkok. He founded and led the Palang Dharma Party. In 1992, he was a leader of the popular uprising against the military rule. Since 2006, he is one of the leaders of the " yellow shirts "

Chmalong Srimuang in 1988 received the Global 500 Award of the United Nations. In 1992, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, in the category of Government Service.

Education and military service

Cham Long is the son of a from Shantou ( China) immigrated fishmonger. The father died when Cham Long was one year old. He grew up with his also of Chinese descent, but was born in Thailand and assimilated mother. Cham Long received his education at the Royal Chulachomklao Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1960. He then began his career as a platoon leader in the Signal Corps. In 1964 he married the pharmacy student Sirilak Kheolaor. Thanks to a Thai - US agreement he could continue his education in the United States. In 1965 he returned and was once used as an intelligence officer in the Laotian Civil War. After training in counter-insurgency operations along the Thai General Staff School, he served in the Vietnam War. In 1972 he received a scholarship for a master's degree program in Public Administration at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in California.

After his return he formed with his classmates from the military academy, the Thai " Young Turks ", a group of politically interested soldiers who stood up for renewal and against corruption, but also repeatedly tried to overthrow the government. The Young Turks in 1980 were responsible for the replacement of General Kriangsak Chomanan by General Prem Tinsulanonda as prime minister. Cham Long served in the Cabinet as Secretary General Prem, but he resigned after the failed coup attempt of his colleagues back in April 1981. Since 1979 Cham Long belongs to the Buddhist sect Santi Asoke that preaches personal renunciation. Cham Long claiming since become celibate to be vegetarian and have no worldly possessions.

Governor and leader of the democracy movement

In 1985, he joined shortly after his promotion to major general, from the military and applied in November as an independent candidate for the post of governor of Bangkok. He was elected in 1988 and founded the Party Palang Dharma Party ( moral force), which was close to the Santi Asoke sect -, campaigned against corruption and for a " clean politics ". Phalang Dharma could have only limited success in the general election in July 1988. In 1990, Cham Long re- election to the governor of Bangkok. After the military coup of the " National Peace Keeping Council", he resigned in January 1992 to compete in the national parliamentary elections in March.

General Suchinda Kraprayoon, who belonged to the group of rebels, won this election and Cham Long opened the costs borne by the middle class street protests of the Alliance for Democracy against the military-backed government. At the demonstration on 17 May 1992, 200,000 people took part in bloody clashes between security forces and protesters died 50 Seven days later had to Prime Minister Suchinda resign. In September 1992 Cham Long's party won 47 seats in the parliamentary elections and joined the government coalition. However, Cham Long took no office and formally joined back by the Presidency of the Palang Dharma Party, but remained their de facto leader. In October 1994, he joined as Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet of Chuan Leekpai. In July 1995, Thaksin Shinawatra took over the party chairmanship of Palang Dharma, which was considered as a sign of the tensions between the religious and the economic -oriented wing of the party.

" Yellow Shirts " leader

Since 2006, he is one of the leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy ( PAD, " Yellow Shirts "), a citizens' movement against the then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The PAD demanded the overthrow of Thaksin in 2006, which they abuse of power for personal benefit and erosion of democracy accused. The " Yellow Shirts " welcomed by majority the military coup that overthrew Thaksin in 2006. After the return to democracy in 2008, they demonstrated against the elected government of Thaksin near Samak Sundaravej, occupied the government buildings and the airport of Bangkok, to the Constitutional Court of the Office Samak dismissed.