BANGKOK, Oct 7 Former Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai died of a lung infection at age 65 after having treatment for the illness in the Philippines.
Col Apiwan was also a leader of Thailand’s Red Shirt movement, called the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), supporters of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
In July, the criminal court issued an arrest warrant for him for violating the lèse majesté law, Article 112 of the Criminal Code related to a speech he made on the UDD stage.
Col Apiwan died yesterday, October 6, and his family is returning to Thailand for a religious rite scheduled at Wat Bangpai in Nonthaburi’s Bang Bua Thong district.
Col Apiwan graduated from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy before being awarded a scholarship to study for Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering at llinois Institute of Technology.
He was granted scholarship to complete a doctorate degree from the same institute.
Entering politics as a Nonthaburi MP of the New Aspiration Party in 1996, he later moved to Thai Rak Thai Party, the People Power Party and the Pheu Thai party respectively.
