Sanya Dharmasakti ( th, สัญญา ธรรมศักดิ์, , ; 5 April 1907 – 6 January 2002) was a Thai jurist, university

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

and

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

. He served as the 12th Prime Minister of Thailand from 1973 to 1975. Sanya Dharmasakti was one of the most influential figures in the

politics of Thailand Until 22 May 2014, the politics of Thailand were conducted within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the prime minister is the head of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. The judiciary is independent of the ex ...

. He served as the president of the Supreme Court (1968–1973) and was dean of the faculty of law and chancellor of

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 ...

during the democracy movement of October 1973. When the "three tyrants" fled, leaving the country leaderless, Sanya was appointed

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

by royal command (establishing a precedent exercised only three times since for appointment of

prime ministers A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is no ...

.) Sanya served a second consecutive term by a House resolution for a combined total of 1 year, 124 days, during which he ordered the withdrawal of US forces in what was called Operation Palace Lightning. Sanya appointed a drafting committee for the 1974 constitution, served as vice-president of the constitutional congress, and was requested by the monarch to serve as the president of the privy council.

Family background

Dharmasakti was born on Friday, 5 April 1907 in Thonburi Province, in central Thailand. His father was the high ranking Buddhist scholar, Mahamtree, and abbot, Dhammasarnvetvisetpakdee Srisattayawatta Phiriyapaha or Thongdee Dharmasakti. His mother was Shuen Dharmmasarnvet. Sanya married Pa-nga Dharmasakti, also known as Phenchart, who died in 2001. They had two sons, named Chartsak and Jakatham.

Education

Dharmasakti went to Assumption College in 1914 and finished high school, majoring in English in 1925. He went to the law school of the Ministry of Justice for three years, graduating in 1928. He got the highest score and received the Rapheeboonnithi scholarship. This scholarship allowed him to study law in England at the

Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn ...

for three years. He was called to the English Bar in 1932.

Palace Lightning

''Palace Lightning'' was the name given the

plan A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal. ...

by which the

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

withdrew its aircraft and personnel from Thailand. After the fall of the US-supported governments in both Phnom Penh and Saigon in the spring of 1975, the political climate between Washington and the government of Judge Sanya soured, and US military forces were ordered to withdraw by the end of the year. Strategic Air Command units left in December 1975; U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, however, remained under US control until formally handed back to the Thai government on 13 June 1976.

Death

Sanya Dharmasakti died at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok on 6 January 2002.

Royal decorations

Sanya received the following royal decorations in the

Honours System An order is a visible honour awarded by a sovereign state, monarch, dynastic house or organisation to a person, typically in recognition of individual merit, that often comes with distinctive insignia such as collars, medals, badges, and sashes ...

of Thailand: * 1940 –

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

Commander (Third 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 ...

* 1941 –

Order of the White Elephant - 3rd Class (Thailand) ribbon

Commander (Third 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 ...

* 1948 –

Order of the Crown of Thailand - 2nd Class (Thailand) ribbon

Knight Commander (Second Class) of The Most Noble

* 1950 –

Chakrabarti Mala Medal (Thailand) ribbon

Chakrabarti Mala Medal * 1954 –

King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal (Thailand) ribbon

King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal, 3rd Class * 1954 –

Order of the Crown of Thailand - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon

Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble

* 1956 –

Order of the White Elephant - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon

Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted

* 1957 –

Order of Chula Chom Klao - 2nd Class lower (Thailand) ribbon

Knight Commander (Second Class, lower grade) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao * 1959 – Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble

* 1961 – Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted

* 1962 –

Order of Chula Chom Klao - 2nd Class upper (Thailand) ribbon

Knight Grand Commander (Second Class, higher grade) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao * 1968 – Order of Chula Chom Klao - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon

Order of Chula Chom Klao - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon

Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao * 1969 – Dushdi Mala - Civilian (Thailand)

Dushdi Mala - Civilian * 1971 –

King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal, 1st Class * 1996 – Order of the Nine Gems (Thailand) ribbon

Knight of The Ancient and Auspicious

Order of the Nine Gems The Ancient and Auspicious Order of the Nine Gems ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นโบราณมงคลนพรัตนราชวราภรณ์; ) was established in 1851 by ...

Foreign Honours

*: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun *: Grand Cross 1st Class of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...

*: Grand Cross of the Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol *: Grand Collar of the

Order of Sikatuna The Order of Sikatuna ( fil, Orden ng Sikatuna) is the national order of diplomatic merit of the Republic of the Philippines. It is conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic of the Philippin ...

*: Grand Cross of the

Order of the Sun of Peru Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...

Academic rank

Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dharmasakti, Sanya Sanya Dharmasakti Sanya Dharmasakti Sanya Dharmasakti Sanya Dharmasakti Sanya Dharmasakti Sanya Dharmasakti Sanya Dharmasakti Sanya Dharmasakti Sanya Dharmasakti Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Members of the Middle Temple 1907 births 2002 deaths