Thanom Kittikachorn

Thanom Kittikachorn's distinctions came from the state he ran, not from any artistic or commercial field. He reached the top of all three Thai armed services, holding the ranks of Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet, and Marshal of the Air Force at the same time as Supreme Commander. He also received Thailand's highest national decorations, the Order of the White Elephant and the Order of the Crown. What makes his record unusual is how thoroughly those honors have been re-evaluated: the same regime that handed him its highest titles also produced the 1971 self-coup and the violence of 1973 and 1976, and his name now appears in political science courses as a case study in military intervention rather than as a celebrated statesman.