Sanoh Thienthong

Sanoh was born into a Thai Chinese business family involved in the lumber industry.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-asian-studies/article/new-wine-in-an-old-bottle-female-politicians-family-rule-and-democratization-in-thailand/48D196BF393B708B4350A24DA2563F06|title=New Wine in an Old Bottle: Female Politicians, Family Rule, and Democratization in Thailand|first=Yoshinori|last=Nishizaki|date=May 9, 2018|journal=The Journal of Asian Studies|volume=77|issue=2|pages=375–403|via=Cambridge University Press|doi=10.1017/S002191181700136X}} He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Sripatum University. He is married with Uraiwan Thienthong, who is also a politician. They have six children together. Among them are Sorawong Thienthong, who is an MP for Sa Kaeo and Surachat Thienthong, who is an MP for Bangkok, after having been product manager for Thai Beverage, the producer of Beer Chang. Sanoh's nephew and niece, Thanit and Trinuch Thienthong, are both MPs for Sa Kaeo. Moreover, Thanit serves as a Deputy Interior Minister in Yingluck Shinawatra's cabinet. Sanoh's brother Witthaya was a long-term MP for Sa Kaeo as well (since 1996, all three Sa Kaeo seats in the House of Representatives have been controlled by members of the Thienthong family), while his sister Kwanruan was a member of the Senate in 2006.

Sanoh has an influential trucking business, his home district being located near an important checkpoint at the Thai-Cambodian border.{{Citation |authorlink1=Pasuk Phongpaichit |first1=Pasuk |last1=Phongpaichit |authorlink2=Chris Baker (writer) |first2=Chris |last2=Baker |title=Thaksin: The Business of Politics in Thailand |publisher=NIAS Press |place=Copenhagen |year=2004 |page=83}} Sanoh entered politics with the Thai Nation Party in 1975. One year later, he was elected to parliament representing Prachinburi Province{{Citation |first=James |last=Ockey |title=Making Democracy: Leadership, Class, Gender, and Political Participation in Thailand |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |year=2004 |page=39}} which at the time still contained today's Sa Kaeo Province. From 1986 to 1988, he was Deputy Minister of Agriculture{{cite web |url=http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_44.htm |title=The Cabinet |accessdate=2012-01-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723054321/http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_44.htm |archivedate=2012-07-23 }} and, for a short phase of less than two months in 1992, Deputy Minister of Transport.{{cite web |url=http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_48.htm |title=The Cabinet |accessdate=2012-01-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605014013/http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_48.htm |archivedate=2011-06-05 }} When Banharn Silpa-archa became leader of the Thai Nation Party in 1994, he made Sanoh secretary-general. The following year, Banharn became Prime Minister and called up Sanoh to the government, appointing him Minister of Public Health.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_51.htm |title=The Cabinet |access-date=2012-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324215524/http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_51.htm |archive-date=2012-03-24 |url-status=dead }}

In 1996, Sanoh resigned from the Thai Nation Party and joined the New Aspiration Party of Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, and immediately took up the position of secretary-general. After Chavalit had won the election and become Prime Minister, he made Sanoh Minister of the Interior.{{cite web |url=http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_52.htm |title=The Cabinet |accessdate=2012-01-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605014117/http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_52.htm |archivedate=2011-06-05 }} As a minister, Sanoh Thienthong is said to have coined the term Ya ba ("madness drug") instead of "Ya ma" ("horse drug") for the mix of methamphetamine and caffeine which used to be prevalent in Thailand.{{Citation |first1=Pierre-Arnaud |last1=Chouvy |first2=Joël |last2=Meissonnier |title=Yaa Baa: Production, Traffic, and Consumption of Methamphetamine in Mainland Southeast Asia |publisher=Singapore University Press |year=2004 |page=xvii}}

For the election in 2001, he changed to the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) of Thaksin Shinawatra. Sanoh was made chief adviser of the party. He was not given a government office, but his wife Uraiwan was appointed minister. Alternately, she led the Ministries of Culture and Labour.{{cite web |url=http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_54.htm |title=The Cabinet |accessdate=2012-01-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605014148/http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/cab_54.htm |archivedate=2011-06-05 }} Inside the Thai Rak Thai Party, Sanoh led a faction called the "Wang Nam Yen group", named after Sanoh's home district. In 2004, around 70 MPs, mainly from the Northeastern region were affiliated with this group.{{Citation |author1=Pasuk |author2=Baker |title=Thaksin |year=2004 |page=193}}

After discord with Thaksin, Sanoh Thienthong left TRT on 25 February 2006. After Thaksin had dissolved the parliament, Sanoh spoke at several rallies of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD, or "Yellow Shirts"), an anti-Thaksin pressure group. He formed a new party, called Pracharaj Party (Royalist People's Party). Sanoh became leader of the party which declared political reform and the removal of the Thaksin regime as its aims.

On 13 May 2011, he abandoned his Pracharaj Party to join the Pheu Thai Party.{{Citation |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/236866/sanoh-accepts-to-join-pheu-thai |title=Sanoh agrees to join Pheu Thai |newspaper=Bangkok Post |date=13 May 2011 |accessdate=17 January 2012}} He supported the top candidature of Yingluck Shinawatra and on 5 August, it was Sanoh who proposed her election as Prime Minister to the parliament.{{Citation |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/250538/sanoh-brings-down-house |first=Mongkol |last=Bangprapa |title=Sanoh brings down House |newspaper=Bangkok Post |date=6 August 2011 |accessdate=17 January 2012}}{{Citation |url=http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/248248.html |title=House voting for Thailand's new prime minister |publisher=MCOT |date=5 August 2011 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120903220341/http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/248248.html |archivedate=3 September 2012 }}

Sanoh Thienthong, who has the reputation of a behind-the-scenes powerbroker and king-maker,{{Citation |first=Jon |last=Fernquest |title=Political powerbroker Sanoh Thienthong repositions himself for the December elections |newspaper=Bangkok Post |date=2 October 2007 |url=http://www.readbangkokpost.com/business/shin_sale_and_coup/political_powerbroker_sanoh_th.php |accessdate=17 January 2012}} has been dubbed "Godfather of Wang Nam Yen", or "Godfather of the eastern border"{{Citation |first1=Desmond |last1=Ball |first2=David Scott |last2=Mathieson |title=Militia Redux: Or Sor and the Revival of Paramilitarism in Thailand |publisher=White Lotus Press |year=2007 |page=283}}

• File:Order of the White Elephant - Special Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Order of the White Elephant (1986)
• File:Order of the Crown of Thailand - Special Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Order of the Crown of Thailand (1994)
• File:Order of the Direkgunabhorn 1st class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Order of the Direkgunabhorn (1997)

• {{Citation |author=Noppharat Wongwitthayāphānit |title=นักการเมืองถิ่นจังหวัดสระแก้ว |trans-title=Locally based politicians in Sakaeo Province |publisher=King Prajadhipok's Institute |year=2012 |isbn=978-974-449-622-5 |url=http://www.kpi.ac.th/kpith/images/stories/2012/55-03-12%20%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%B4%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%99%20%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%81%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%A7.pdf }}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

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Category:Living people

Sanoh Thienthong

Sanoh Thienthong

Sanoh Thienthong

Sanoh Thienthong

Sanoh Thienthong

Sanoh Thienthong

Sanoh Thienthong

Category:1934 births

Sanoh Thienthong