Pheu Thai veteran Viroj Pao-in dies at 91 after illness
Tributes pour in for respected figure who led through political crisis
A former Pheu Thai Party leader passed away at a hospital in Pathum Thani after battling an infection, prompting tributes from political allies and MPs.
Thailand’s political landscape bid farewell to a long-serving figure this week as Viroj Pao-in, former caretaker leader of the Pheu Thai Party, passed away at the age of 91. He died from an infection at Thammasat General Hospital in Pathum Thani, according to a statement from his family.
Viroj, a former top police officer turned politician, played a crucial role in guiding the Pheu Thai Party through turbulent times, notably serving as caretaker leader during the military coup in May 2014. His death prompted a wave of tributes from party members and colleagues.
Funeral rites will be held at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Bang Khen district, where political figures are expected to attend and pay their respects.
Viroj was twice appointed as caretaker party leader, first in 2012 and again in 2014, before officially being elected party leader in October 2018. He held the position until July 2019.
Pheu Thai MP Korkaew Pikulthong paid tribute online, remembering Viroj as a wise and compassionate leader who earned the deep respect of party members for his calm guidance and legal insight. Korkaew recalled the immense pressure Viroj faced during the coup led by then-army chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha, noting his unwavering stance against the seizure of power.
Born on December 7, 1933, Viroj graduated from the Royal Police Cadet Academy and climbed the ranks to become commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau. He later transitioned to politics, initially serving as a Prachakorn Thai MP for Ang Thong before moving to the Chart Thai Party.
Viroj held several key Cabinet roles, including deputy interior minister under the short-lived Suchinda Kraprayoon government in 1992 and deputy prime minister during Chuan Leekpai’s administration in 2000.
He was also a member of the National Peace Keeping Council’s assets investigation committee in 1991 and joined a fact-finding panel on political violence in 2009, according to The Nation.
Although he failed to secure a seat in the 2007 election, Viroj returned to Parliament in 2011 as a Pheu Thai party-list MP and remained a key figure in the party until his re-election in 2023.
His legacy as a principled and steady leader during one of Thailand’s most unstable political periods remains firmly intact.
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