Meechai Ruchuphan

Meechai has completed a bachelor's degree in law from Thammasat University and a master's degree in comparative law from Southern Methodist University, Texas. He participated in the Texas Legislative Internship Program.

After his return to Thailand, he became a civil servant at the Office of the Council of State, rising to become head of the law drafting division. He was appointed legal advisor of prime minister Sanya Dharmasakti in 1973 and permanently assigned to the Office of the Prime Minister. During the military rule he was appointed a member of the Nationale Legislative Assembly in 1977 and in the same year deputy secretary-general of the prime minister.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thairath.co.th/person/4129 |title=มีชัย ฤชุพันธุ์ |publisher=ThaiRath.co.th}}

In March 1980, he was appointed minister to the Office of the Prime Minister in the cabinet of General Prem Tinsulanonda. He held that position during all of Prem's eight-year rule and even after the change of government under Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan until 1990. Concurrently, he served as Senator from 1983 to 1989. In April 1991 he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, serving under Anand Panyarachun and then under his successor General Suchinda Kraprayoon. Meechai also was president of the 1991 Constitution drafting committee.

After Suchinda's resignation under public pressure in the course of the events of Black May on 24 May 1992, Meechai acted as caretaker prime minister until a new head of government (Anand Panyarachun for a second term) was appointed on 10 June.

Afterwards Meechai served as Senator again and was the Speaker of the Senate from 1992 to 2000. In this position he presided over a constitutional tribunal which ruled as legal an executive decree of the Suchinda administration (reportedly drafted by Meechai himself) that amnestied those responsible for the shooting of protesters.{{Cite book |author=William A. Callahan |title=Imagining Democracy: Reading "The Events of May" in Thailand |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies |year=1998 |page=158}}{{Cite book |author=Physicians for Human Rights |title="Bloody May" – Excessive Use of Lethal Force in Bangkok: The Events of May 17-20, 1992 |year=1992 |page=40}} Meechai was critical of the 1997 draft constitution that had been elaborated in a long process under intensive participation of the civil society. He deemed some of the provisions too progressive, e.g. the article that declared all discrimination on grounds of social origin illegal. This was in Meechai's view incompatible with Thai culture that held it normal to crawl on knees in front of the king and unthinkable to confront him upright and akimbo.{{Cite book |author=Michael Kelly Connors |title=Democracy and National Identity in Thailand |edition=2nd |publisher=NIAS Press |year=2007 |page=168}} However, he finally supported the passage of the constitution in order to avoid political chaos giving the Asian financial and economic crisis and the hope that many had set on this draft.{{Cite book |author=Connors |title=Democracy and National Identity in Thailand |year=2007 |page=167}}

Meechai served as President of the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly of Thailand (NLA) after the coup d'état in 2006.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110719044507/http://www.dahuawang.com/strb/20070723/gb/strb%5E2913%5E1%5EStc23007.htm 希望不断看到汕头新变化新发展]; [http://www.chaocn.com/new/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=2175] His appointment was seen as a sign for a move towards a more conservative, law-and-order constitution.Connors: Democracy and National Identity in Thailand. 2007, S. 271. He retrospectively judged the 1997 constitution as unsuitable for Thailand, comparing it to a Rolls-Royce with which one cannot plough a paddy field.{{Cite news |title=Blame people, not the 1997 charter |newspaper=The Nation |date=29 October 2006}}{{Cite book |author=Federico Ferrara |title=Thailand Unhinged: Unraveling the Myth of a Thai-style Democracy |publisher=Equinox |year=2010 |pages=51–52}} He claimed that the Thai monarchy was endangered by three different groups: one group was questioning the necessity of monarchy through articles and research; one was anonymously attacking members of the royal family by criticising their behaviour and posting unsuitable images on websites hosted abroad; the third would abuse the monarchy for self-interest and political causes. Therefore, the rigorous lèse-majesté law had to stay in place and be strictly enforced.{{Cite book |author=David Streckfuss |title=Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, Treason, and Lèse-Majesté |url=https://archive.org/details/truthontrialthai00stre_445 |url-access=limited |publisher=Routledge |year=2011 |page=[https://archive.org/details/truthontrialthai00stre_445/page/n22 4]}} Meechai was also an advocate of appointed, instead of democratically elected, Prime Minister and National Assembly.{{Cite journal|last1=Hewison|first1=Kevin|date=2007|title=Constitutions, Regimes and Power in Thailand|journal=Democratization|language=en|volume=14|issue=5|pages=931|doi=10.1080/13510340701635738|s2cid=143672307|issn=1351-0347}}

As of 2011, Meechai was the chairman of Thailand's Law Reform Commission at the Council of State. After another coup d'état in 2014, Meechai—as one of two civilians—was appointed as a member of the junta which calls itself the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).{{Cite news |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/432553/somkid-meechai-sit-on-ncpo |title=Somkid, Meechai sit on NCPO |newspaper=Bangkok Post |date=16 September 2014}} After a first military-appointed committee's draft constitution failed, Meechai was appointed chairman of another Constitution drafting committee by the NCPO on 5 October 2015.{{Cite news |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/718580/meechai-appointed-head-of-new-cdc |title=Meechai appointed head of new CDC |newspaper=Bangkok Post |date=5 October 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Jory|first1=Patrick|title=Thailand's constitutional referendum is in a royal mess|url=http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/07/26/thailands-constitutional-referendum-is-in-a-royal-mess/|accessdate=27 July 2016|work=East Asia Forum|date=26 July 2016}}

Meechai was married to Khunying Amphorn Ruchuphan (née Seneewongse na Ayutthaya). They had two daughters.

The academic David Streckfuss names Meechai as an example of "Those in the Shade of Charisma", referring to a group of (appointed) politicians, important business and upper-class figures who are in favour with the palace.{{Cite book |author=Streckfuss |title=Truth on Trial in Thailand |publisher=Routledge |year=2011 |pages=153, 361}}

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• http://www.meechaithailand.com Personal website (Thai only)

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{{succession box|title=acting Prime Minister of Thailand|before= General Suchinda Kraprayoon|after=Anand Panyarachun|years=1992}}

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{{Prime Ministers of Thailand}}

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Category:1938 births

Category:Living people

Meechai Ruchuphan

Meechai Ruchuphan

Meechai Ruchuphan

Meechai Ruchuphan

Meechai Ruchuphan

Category:Southern Methodist University alumni

Meechai Ruchuphan

Meechai Ruchuphan

Meechai Ruchuphan