Luang Wichitwathakan

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Luang Wichitwathakan
วิจิตรวาทการ
Assistant to the Prime Minister
In office 16 February 1959 – 31 March 1962
Prime Minister	Sarit Thanarat
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Secretary-General of the National Security Council
In office 1959–1962
Prime Minister	Sarit Thanarat
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Phraya Srivisanvaja
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office 6 December 1951 – 23 March 1952
Prime Minister	Plaek Pibulsonggram
Preceded by	Munee Mahasandana
Succeeded by	Bunkoed Sutantanon
Minister of Finance
In office 29 November 1951 – 8 December 1951
Prime Minister	Plaek Pibulsonggram
Preceded by	Phra Manuphanawimonsart
Succeeded by	Pao Pienlert Boripanyutakit
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 19 June 1942 – 18 October 1943
Prime Minister	Plaek Pibulsonggram
Preceded by	Plaek Pibulsonggram
Succeeded by	Direk Jayanama
Personal details
Born	(1898-08-11)11 August 1898 Uthai Thani, Siam
Died	31 March 1962(1962-03-31) (aged 63) Bangkok, Thailand
Spouses	Lucienne Laffitte Praphapan Wichitwathakan
Profession	Politician diplomat historian novelist playwright
Signature

Major-General Luang Wichitwathakan (also known as just Wichit Wichitwathakan) (Thai: หลวงวิจิตรวาทการ, วิจิตร วิจิตรวาทการ; Chinese: 金良) (11 August 1898^[1] – 31 March 1962^[2]) was a Thai politician, diplomat, historian, novelist, and playwright. He is credited with changing the name of the country from Siam to Thailand.

Luang Wichitwathakan was prominently engaged in politics and the modernization of Thailand and was in his time the most important figure in the establishment of Thai nationalism and Thai identity. He was the chief ideologue and creator of cultural campaigns during the pre-World War II military rule of Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram.