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Web-only Exclusives November 30, 2000 From Our Correspondent: Hirohito and the War A conversation with biographer Herbert Bix From Our Correspondent: A Rough Road Ahead Bad news for the Philippines - and some others From Our Correspondent: Making Enemies Indonesia needs friends. So why is it picking fights? |
THE ASIAWEEK POWER 50
NUMBERS 9-13
9. King Bhumibol Adulyadej
KING OF THAILAND
BORN Dec. 5, 1927, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
EDUCATION Gymnase Classique Cantonal, Lausanne, Switzerland
FAMILY Married to Queen Sirikit; one son, three daughters
ADDRESS The Grand Palace, Thanon Na Phra Lan, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
POWER POINTS He gained the throne 51 years ago and for the last 20 years has provided stability and continuity for fractious Thai society. His moral authority is unquestioned (indeed, criticism of the king is outlawed). The revered monarch expresses hope that democracy may mature to the point where his intervention in national politics is largely unnecessary. Still, he is believed to have given his quiet backing to an extensive revision of the Constitution, reforms which were approved last year during political and economic turmoil.
PRIME MINISTER, HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER, MALAYSIA
BORN Dec. 20, 1925, in Kedah state, Malaya
EDUCATION University of Malaya, Singapore
FAMILY Married fellow physician Siti Hasmah Ali; three sons, two daughters, two adopted children
ADDRESS Jalan Dato Onn, 50502 Kuala Lumpur
POWER POINTS Ill-advised verbal attacks on foreign investors and a bailout of his son's ailing shipping company have undermined his once-unassailable authority. Challengers could surface if recession arrives. "Dr. M" wants curbs on global currency trading - an idea gaining support from the IMF.
SULTAN AND PRIME MINISTER, BRUNEI
BORN July 15, 1946, in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
EDUCATION Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin College, Brunei; Sandhurst military college, England
FAMILY Two wives, ten children
ADDRESS Istana Darul Hana, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
POWER POINTS Petrobucks potentate gained stature and friends by acting as benefactor to Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia after currencies crashed. Among world's richest individuals, his oil wealth was largely untouched by region's fiscal woes.
INVESTMENT BANKER, PRESIDENT, SOROS FUND MANAGEMENT CO.
BORN 1930, in Budapest, Hungary
EDUCATION London School of Economics graduate
FAMILY Married to second wife Susan Weber Soros, two children
ADDRESS Soros Fund Management Co., 888 Seventh Ave., New York, N.Y. 10106
POWER POINTS Accused by some of trashing the "tiger" economies through currency speculation and profiteering. The hedge fund manager has the capital - more than $12 billion - to move markets. Admits he bet against the Thai baht initially but claims he lost money overall in Southeast Asia currency meltdowns. Recently invested heavily in South Korea and Thailand. Demonized by Malaysia's Mahathir - whom Soros called "a menace to his own country."
PRIME MINISTER AND DEFENSE MINISTER, THAILAND
BORN July 28, 1938, in Trang, Thailand.
EDUCATION Law degree, Thammasat University, Bangkok
FAMILY common-law wife Pakdiporn Sucharitkul, one son
ADDRESS Government House, Bangkok 10300, Thailand
POWER POINTS Chuan governed Thailand 1992-95, but resigned during a land-deal scandal involving his party. Since becoming PM again during dark days last November has earned plaudits for implementing IMF controls. If he begins to lift Thailand out of recession, his Democrats could sweep the next elections.
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