Korn Dabbaransi ( th, กร ทัพพะรังสี, , alternatively transcribed as Thapparangsi or ''Dabaransi'', ; born 14 September 1945) is a Thai politician. He was the leader of the National Development Party from 1998 to 2003. Korn served as deputy prime minister and as a cabinet minister in several governments. He currently serves as the President of the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association.

Family and education

Korn Dapparansi is a fourth generation

Thai Chinese Thai Chinese (also known as Chinese Thais, Sino-Thais), Thais of Chinese origin ( th, ชาวไทยเชื้อสายจีน; ''exonym and also domestically''), endonym Thai people ( th, ชาวไทย), are Chinese descenda ...

. He is a grandson of former deputy prime minister

Phin Choonhavan Field Marshal Phin Choonhavan ( th, ผิน ชุณหะวัณ; ; August 14, 1891 – 26 January 1973) was a Thai military leader and Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand. Phin was a leader of several coups against the government, most nota ...

and a nephew of former prime minister

Chatichai Choonhavan Chatichai Choonhavan ( th, ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ, , ; 5 April 1920 – 6 May 1998) was a Thai army officer, diplomat and politician. From 1986 to 1991, he was the chairman of the Thai Nation Party and served as the Prim ...

. He graduated from

Saint Gabriel's College Saint Gabriel's College ( th, โรงเรียนเซนต์คาเบรียล) is a private Catholic all-boys school in Bangkok, Thailand. The school was founded by the Brothers of Saint Gabriel in 1920. The school educates stud ...

and the

University of Massachusetts The University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system and the only public research system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes five campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and a medica ...

Political career

He entered politics in 1974, representing the

Thai Nation Party Thai Nation Party, or Chart Thai Party ( th, พรรคชาติไทย, ) was a conservative political party in Thailand. It was dissolved by the Constitutional Court of Thailand on December 2, 2008, along with the People's Power Party and ...

of his uncles Chatichai and

Pramarn Adireksarn Pramarn Adireksarn ( th, ประมาณ อดิเรกสาร, , 31 December 1913 – 20 August 2010) was a Thai military officer and politician. He was a co-founder and chairman of the Thai Nation Party, deputy prime minister and minist ...

. Korn served as Deputy Minister of Industry in the government 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, ...

from 1986 to 1988. He was a minister to the Office of Prime Minister in his uncle Chatichai's cabinet from 1990 to 1991. After the military coup d'état of 1991, he was again Minister to the Office of Prime Minister in the short-lived military-backed government of

Suchinda Kraprayoon Suchinda Kraprayoon ( th, สุจินดา คราประยูร, ; born 6 August 1933) is a Thai retired army general and politician. As the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (1990–1992) he led the 1991 Thai coup d'état ...

. After the events of the Black May 1992, that toppled the Suchinda administration, he left the Thai Nation Party and founded the National Development Party, together with Chatichai. In December 1994, Korn was again appointed Minister to the Office of Prime Minister by 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 ...

, he held that position until the government lost its majority in 1995. In

Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Chavalit Yongchaiyudh ( th, ชวลิต ยงใจยุทธ, , ; born 15 May 1932), also known as "Big Jiew" (, , ), is a Thai politician and retired army officer. From 1986 to 1990 he was the Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army ...

's coalition government, Korn held the position of Deputy Prime Minister and

Minister of Industry The industry minister is a cabinet position in a government. The title may refer to the head of the governmental department that specializes in industry. This position may also be responsible for trade and employment, areas that fall under the mini ...

from 1996 to 1997. In 1998, Korn took over the chairmanship of the National Development Party from Chatichai. In October of that year, he was made Deputy Prime Minister again under Chuan Leekpai, holding the public health portfolio additionally. In the succeeding cabinet of

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, a ...

, Korn was again Deputy Prime Minister from March 2002 to November 2003, when Thaksin dropped the National Development Party from his coalition. Thereupon Korn defected to the Prime Minister's

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 ...

. He was called up to the cabinet as Minister of Science and Technology again in March 2004, serving until August 2005. In 2007, Korn left Thai Rak Thai for the Royalist People's Party (Pracharaj) of

Sanoh Thienthong Sanoh Thienthong ( th, เสนาะ เทียนทอง, born 1 April 1934) is a Thai politician. He is a Member of Parliament for the Pheu Thai Party list. Before he joined the Pheu Thai Party in 2011, he was the leader of the minor Prac ...

, became deputy leader, but resigned from the party in October of the same year, to re-join the Thai Nation Party after 15 years.

Other offices

Korn was the president of the

International Badminton Federation The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the international governing body for the sport of badminton recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It was founded in 1934 as the International Badminton Federation (IBF) with nine member ...

(IBF).Co-Chairman: Korn Dabbaransi – Former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation, retrieved on 22 March 2012 He has been the chairman of the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association since 2002.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dabbaransi, Korn Living people 1945 births Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi University of Massachusetts alumni Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi Korn Dabbaransi Badminton executives and administrators Korn Dabbaransi