Kriangsak Chomanan, 87; Thai General Became His Country’s Premier

Kriangsak Chomanan, 87, an army general who became prime minister of Thailand in 1977 and helped steer his country to democracy, died Tuesday in Bangkok of a blood infection and kidney failure. He had been paralyzed for the last 15 years as the result of a stroke.

Born in the Mahachai district near Bangkok, Kriangsak began his military career in the early 1940s as a platoon leader in a brief war against the French-held colonies of Indochina. In 1973, he became a full general and a year later, army chief of staff. In 1976, he became supreme commander of the military.

He was part of a military faction that took power in 1976. After another coup in 1977, he was named prime minister.

Kriangsak’s government promulgated a constitution in 1978, setting up a timetable for the restoration of parliamentary democracy beginning with a 1979 election. He resigned in 1980.