Science minister dies after brain surgery

Phiraphan was admitted to Phyathai Nawamin Hospital on Tuesday suffering symptoms of vasoconstriction – narrowing of blood vessels – in the brain.
An informed source from the Pheu Thai Party said Phiraphan had gone to the hospital to check why he was feeling fatigued and whether he was suffering from vasoconstriction of the heart. However, doctors discovered that he was also suffering from the constriction of blood vessels in the brain, and decided to operate on him.
Though the surgery was successful, Phiraphan’s condition became critical at 8pm on Tuesday, the source said. Phiraphan has been working hard for the Pheu Thai as a member of the legal team, which defended Yingluck in legal cases against her and Phiraphan also helped the party campaign prior to the February 2 election.
Phiraphan was born on June 10 1946. He graduated from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Law and got a diploma from International Institute of Public Administration. He earned a doctorate in law from the Sorbonne, Paris.

He has been elected as Yasothon MP since 1985 as a Democrat MP. He joined the Thai Rak Thai government since 2001. He was reelected as a People Power Party MP in 2007 and became a Pheu Thai MP in 2011.
He used to hold several key political posts, including a deputy PM’s secretary general and an assistant to a PM’s Office minister.
He was appointed the science minister for the Yingluck government on June 30 2013.