History of Thailand (1973–2001)

The history of Thailand from 1973 to 2001 saw an unstable period of democracy, with military rule being reimposed after a bloody coup in 1976. (The previous military rulers had been removed, as a result of the revolution of 14 October 1973.)

For most of the 1980s, Thailand was ruled by Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda, a democratically inclined strongman who restored parliamentary politics. Thereafter the country remained a democracy apart from a brief period of military rule from 1991 to 1992.

Between 1985 and 1994, Thailand was the world's fastest growing economy according to the World Bank. Foreign investment primarily from Japan turned Thailand into a manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia by the end of the century.

The 1997 Asian financial crisis culminated in populist Thaksin Shinawatra's victory in the 2001 Thai general election.