Banyat Bantadtan (林書清) ( th, บัญญัติ บรรทัดฐาน; , born 15 May 1942) is a Thai politician. From 2003 to 2005, he was the chairman of the Democrat Party and Leader of the Opposition against Prime Minister

Thaksin Shinawatra Thaksin Shinawatra ( th, ทักษิณ ชินวัตร; ; ; Chinese: 丘達新; cnr, Taksin Šinavatra; born 26 July 1949), is a Thai businessman, politician and visiting professor. He served in the Thai Police from 1973 to 1987, ...

Life and career

Banyat Bantadtan was born in

Kanchanadit Kanchanadit ( th, กาญจนดิษฐ์, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in Surat Thani province, south Thailand. History Originally, the town was named ''Tha Thong'' (ท่าทอง) after the river of the same name (''Tha Thong Mai'', ...

, Surat Thani Province. A lawyer by training, he holds a Bachelor of Laws from the

Faculty of Law, Thammasat University The Faculty of Law, Thammasat University ( th, คณะนิติศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์; ) is an administrative agency of the Thai government, being an academic faculty attached to ...

. In 1970, he became a lecturer for the Office of Accelerated Rural Development (ARD). In 1975, he was elected

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

for the first time. He was consistently re-elected in all subsequent elections until 2007. Banyat was spokesman of the Democrat Party from 1979 to 1980. He was a cabinet member in the governments of General

Prem Tinsulanonda Prem Tinsulanonda ( th, เปรม ติณสูลานนท์, , ; 26 August 1920 – 26 May 2019) was a Thai military officer, politician, and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 3 March 1980 to 4 August 1988, ...

, as deputy interior minister from 1980 to 1983, Minister in the Office of Prime Minister from 1983 to 1986, and as Minister of Science from 1986 to 1988. Under his fellow party member Prime Minister

Chuan Leekpai Chuan Leekpai ( th, ชวน หลีกภัย, , ; ; born 28 July 1938) is a Thai politician who is the current President of the National Assembly of Thailand as well as the incumbent Speaker of the Thai House of Representatives. Previou ...

, Banyat was Deputy Prime Minister from 1992 to 1995 and again in 2000, when he additionally led the Ministry of Interior.

Democrat Party career

In 2003, he succeeded Chuan as chairman of the Democrat Party and became official Leader of the Opposition. He stepped back after the electoral setback in 2005. The

Thai Rak Thai Party The Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT; th, พรรคไทยรักไทย, , ; "Thais Love Thais Party") was a Thai political party founded in 1998. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under its founder, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawat ...

of Prime Minister

had won the election by a landslide. The party chose Abhisit Vejjajiva as his successor.

Personal life

Banyat was married to Somnuk Boonchu and they had one child, then were divorced. After the divorce he married Jittima Sangkasap ( th, จิตติมา สังขะทรัพย์) ex-wife of Pongpol Adireksarn. They have two children.

Honours

* 1982 - Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Noble

Order of the Crown of Thailand The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย; ) is a Thai order, established in 1869 by King Rama ...

* 1983 - Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted

Order of the White Elephant __NOTOC__ The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก; ) is an order of Thailand. It wa ...

แจ้งความสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ (เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ชั้นสายสะพาย)
เล่ม ๑๐๐ ตอน ๒๐๗ ฉบับพิเศษ ๓๑ ธันวาคม พ.ศ. ๒๕๒๖

References

External links

Thai PM's party win by landslide - TV exit poll

Thai Opposition Warns of Dictatorship in Thailand
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bantadtan, Banyat Living people Hainanese people Banyat Bantadtan Banyat Bantadtan Banyat Bantadtan Banyat Bantadtan Banyat Bantadtan Banyat Bantadtan Banyat Bantadtan Banyat Bantadtan Banyat Bantadtan 1942 births