Former ASEAN Secretary General dies suddenly

Mr. Surin Pitsuwan, former Foreign Minister of Thailand and former Secretary General of ASEAN, passed away from a heart attack on November 30 at the age of 68.

Mr. Surin collapsed while preparing to speak at the Thailand Halal Council 2017 at Bitec, Bang Na. He was rushed to Ramkhamhaeng Hospital. Doctors later confirmed that he was dead.

Former ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan.

Surin Pitsuwan was born on October 28, 1949, in Muang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat City, Thailand. He graduated with a degree in political science from Claremont University in California in 1972 and a master's degree from Harvard University.

Surin Pitsuwan entered politics in 1986 as a Democrat candidate and won a seat in his home city in elections from 1986 to 2005.

Mr. Surin was Deputy Foreign Minister of Thailand from 1992-1994. He served as Foreign Minister of the country from 1997-2001 under Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai. He was the first Thai to become Secretary-General of ASEAN, serving a five-year term starting in 2008. He later rejoined the Democrat Party (Thailand).

Surin Pitsuwan was a columnist for the Bangkok Post and was a speaker at the Bangkok Post forum on November 16 this year.

Mr. Surin is expected to run for governor of Bangkok.

The funeral of Surin Pitsuwan will be held at Tha It mosque in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province, on December 1./.

According to VOV