The Thai Nation Party was founded in 1974 by Chatichai Choonhavan , son of Field Marshal Phin Choonhavan , and his in-laws Pramarn Adireksarn and Siri Siriyothin , who were at the time major-generals like him . The three belonged to the " Rajakru clan " , a military , economic and political interest group established by Field Marshal Phin . The party represented the rightist and pro-military wing of Thai politics during the relatively liberal and democratic years from 1973 to 1976 . During the campaign for the election in April 1976 , the party called for “ the Right to kill the Left ” , and party chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Pramarn declared in a cabinet meeting on October 6 , 1976 that it was the right moment to destroy the student movement , which was eventually executed in the Thammasat University massacre . In the subsequent elections 1976 , 1979 , 1983 and 1986 , the party consistently was the second-strongest party . During the 1980s , the party deideologized itself . It was a " government party " that tried to be part of the ruling coalition at any rate . Only between 1983 and 1986 it was the main parliamentary opposition . According to then-secretary general Banharn Silpa-archa , " for a politician , being in opposition is like starving yourself to death . " In the general election of 1988 , the Thai Nation Party won the most votes , resulting in its leader Chatichai Choonhavan becoming the prime minister . Chatichai was the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Thailand in over a decade . Chatichai 's government became known as the " buffet cabinet " for its members scrambling overtly over the distribution of public funds . The Thai Nation Party advocated a reinforcement of the role of Parliament , in which many businessmen from the province were represented who had gained wealth and growing political ambitions , vis-à-vis the traditionally powerful , but not democratically legitimised administration . Chatichai 's government was deposed by a military coup d'état in 1991 . The putschists accused the Prime Minister and several other members of the cabinet of having acquired " unusual wealth "
Thammasat University massacre
Thammasat University massacre
Thai Nation Party