History of Thailand (1973–2001)
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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.)
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For most of the 1980s, Thailand was ruled by Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda, a democratically inclined[citation needed] 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.[1] Foreign investment primarily from Japan turned Thailand into a manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia by the end of the century.[2]
The 1997 Asian financial crisis culminated in populist Thaksin Shinawatra's victory in the 2001 Thai general election.[3]