Saengchai Sunthornwat () (June 12, 1943 – April 11, 1996) was a Thai journalist, lawyer and writer. He served as director of

MCOT MCOT Public Company Limited (MCOT; th, บริษัท อสมท จำกัด (มหาชน)), formerly known as the Mass Communication Organization of Thailand, is a Thai state-owned public broadcaster. It owns and operates a numb ...

before his death.

Early life

He was born on June 12, 1943, in

Prachin Buri Province Prachinburi province ( th, ปราจีนบุรี, , ) is one of Thailand's seventy-seven provinces (''changwat''), it lies in eastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Nakhon Ratchasima, Sa Kaeo, Chachoengsao, a ...

. He was a son of Pradit and Bunyuen Sunthornwat. He finished secondary school from

Triam Udom Suksa School Triam Udom Suksa School ( th, โรงเรียนเตรียมอุดมศึกษา, ; lit.'university-preparatory school') is a state school in central Bangkok, Thailand. It admits upper-secondary students (''mathayom'' 4–6, eq ...

, bachelor's degree from

Thammasat University Thammasat University ( Abrv: TU th, มธ.; th, มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์, , ) is a public research university in Thailand with campuses in Tha Phra Chan area of Phra Nakhon District near the Grand Pala ...

and did his masters degree from a university in the United States. He married Watcharee Sunthornwat with whom he had a son, Isara Sunthornwat.

Career

He had a job in law as well as restaurants in the United States. In 1982, he started his career in journalism by writing columns for ''Phim Thai'' and ''Daily News''. In 1983, his column about the English language, "Fud Fit For Fai" became popular. He returned to

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

in 1983, where he worked as the director of

between 1993–1996.

Assassination

Saengchai Sunthornwat was killed by a gunman who fired on his car as he was driving to his suburban Bangkok home on April 11, 1996. Sunthornwat was aged 52. Ubol Bunyachalorthon was charged with masterminding the death, but was shot and killed before being convicted.

Honours

Order of the Crown of Thailand - 3rd Class (Thailand) ribbon

Commander of the

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)

In popular culture

* '' Modernine TV'' discussed Saengchai Sunthornwat on ''TimeLine'', 23 June 2015, in "Light ... of victory".

References

Saengchai Sunthornwat Saengchai Sunthornwat Saengchai Sunthornwat Saengchai Sunthornwat Saengchai Sunthornwat Saengchai Sunthornwat Deaths by firearm in Thailand 1943 births 1996 deaths 20th-century journalists Saengchai Sunthornwat {{Thailand-journalist-stub