Vanida Vongkositkul, the first Muslim woman to be elected to parliament, died Thursday morning at her Bangkok home. She was 88.
Born and educated in Bangkok, Vanida entered politics after World War II, when Sarit Thanarat and Pote Sarasin were prime ministers.
She joined the Democrat Party and won endorsement from the royalists in charge, including Seni Pramoj, to contest a seat in the parliament.
But dictatorial politics of the day prevented elections until 1968, after Thanom Kittikachorn agreed to promulgate a democratic constitution.
Vanida won a seat in parliament both under Thanom's dictatorship in 1969, and again after the popular rebellion in October, 1973.
Her funeral was scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Haroon Mosque in Bang Rak district.