1922- . Thai conservative politician, prime
minister of Thailand from 1988. He has
promoted a peace settlement in neighbouring
Cambodia as part of a vision of transforming
Indochina into a thriving open-trade zone. A
field marshal's son, Choonhavan fought in
World War II and the Korean War, rising to
major-general. After a career as a diplomat
and entrepreneur, he moved into politics and
became leader of the conservative Chat Thai
party and, in 1988, prime minister.