Seni Pramoj
Prime Minister of Thailand in 1945, 1975 and 1976
(Born 20th May 1905 - died 28th July 1997)

Seni Pramoj was the first Thai pupil to attend Trent College in 1921 (almost 100 Thai pupils have since arrived at the School). After leaving Trent in 1925, he remained in Britain to continue his education, first at Worchester College, Oxford, where he became a Bachelor of Law with second class honours, and later, as a Barrister-at-Law at Grays Inn, London, passing with first class honours.

On returning to Thailand, Seni studied Thai Law and graduated as a Thai Barrister-at-Law. After his studies, he trained at the Supreme Court for six months, after which he was appointed to the Justice Civil Court in the appeal court.

Towards the end of the 1930s, Seni Pramoj transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was eventually appointed Ambassador to the United States of America. When the Japanese Army invaded Thailand in 1941, Pramoj formed the ‘Free Thai Movement’ against the Japanese and secretly worked with the Western Allies. Interestingly, and no doubt a credit to his Trent education, whilst he was Ambassador to Washington in 1942, he refused to deliver the declaration of war against America and Britain as it did not reflect the will of the Thai citizens.

At the end of World War II, Seni returned to his home country and was appointed Prime Minister on 17th September 1945. This was to be the first of three separate terms in office, his longest lasting six months. Seni Pramoj is credited with a number of successful negotiations with the Western Allies, releasing Thailand from the custody of Britain whilst promising to try and punish war criminals.

During Seni’s final term as Prime Minister (the year after his brother Kukrit had lost his place in office), public unrest at the Thammasart University meant he was forced to resign. He later resigned as the Chief of the Democrat Party and bowed out of political life.

Seni Pramoj died in 1997 at the age of 92.

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