The late MR Seni Pramoj is usually remembered as a three-time Prime Minister and leader of the Democrat Party, but to Chuan Leekpai, he was a teacher and mentor.
"Mom Rajawongse Seni taught me the rules of law," Mr Chuan said on Thursday at Thammasat University's Faculty of Law during an event to mark MR Seni's birthday.
Mr Chuan said he felt history did not do MR Seni justice. "MR Seni's contribution to the study of law in Thailand was overlooked."
In addition to being one of the youngest Supreme Court judges, MR Seni wrote a number of legal textbooks. Some of those books are still used in the classroom today, such as the Civil and Commercial Code, Property Law, Debt and Bills of Exchange, that are still available for sale at Thammasat. MR Seni also wrote books about the legal practice in the Ayutthaya period and during the reign of King Rama IV.
"There were not many legal textbooks in those days," Mr Chuan said.
After receiving a BA in jurisprudence from Worcester College, Oxford, MR Seni returned to Thailand to work at the Justice Civil Court and teach at various universities, including Thammasat. He was born on May 26, 1905, and died in 1997.
Mr Chuan's first encounter was as a young man who had moved to Bangkok from Trang to study. "I met MR Seni for the first time when he played music for a charity event at the Dome Building to raise money for student activities. I paid two baht for a ticket to watch him play."
Mr Chuan enrolled in a class on civil and commercial codes taught by MR Seni when he was a senior law student. "His speaking tone was smooth but he talked fast. It was difficult to catch what he said.
"Luckily, MR Seni wrote a textbook for students to read for the class. It was very useful for students who had to work and were absent from the class. MR Seni was one of the most prepared professors who came to class," Mr Chuan recalled.
After the class, MR Seni often stayed to debate issues with the students. Once he sounded out opinions about the creation of a Thammasat University anthem with students.
"I understand that the MR Seni's initiative lead to Thammasat University's anthem called Yoong Thong later," he said.
MR Seni later became Thai ambassador to the United States. During World War II, when Field Marshal Plaek Phibulsonggram formed a military alliance with Japan, he joined the resistance movement called the Free Thai Movement or Seri Thai.
"MR Seni played an influential role in helping Thailand reduce the war compensation fee, despite pressure from the British government," Mr Chuan said of the post-war reparation imposed because of Thailand's alliance with Japan.
After the war ended, MR Seni entered politics and succeeded in becoming the prime minister. His younger brother MR Kukrit Pramoj also entered the political scene. At times, the brothers engaged in political debate from opposite sides of the floor.
When Mr Chuan started campaigning for an MP's seat in Trang for the first time in 1968, he chose the Democrat Party partly because of his respect for MR Seni.
MR Seni helped his political campaign in the southern province. "More than 20,000 people came to listen to MR Seni speak," he recalled.
In February 1969, Mr Chuan won the seat, beating a politician from the Saha Prachathai Party of Thanom Kittikachorn and Gen Praphas Charusathien.
"During my first term as an MP, I worked closely with him [MR Seni]. We had a good leader," he said.
In 1991, Mr Chuan was named the fifth Democrat Party leader. "The first thing I did was to bow to ask for a blessing from MR Seni, who was the second Democrat leader."
The public perception of MR Seni's political performance, however, was mixed. Some considered him an indecisive leader, especially his decision to let Thanom into the country after he was exiled following the student uprising on Oct 14, 1973.
"MR Seni knew that he was criticised. But he said we have to follow the rule of law. That is the principle we always went back to when we had to make a decision," said Mr Chuan.
After the student uprising in 1973, Thanom went into exile with his son, Col Narong, and Narong's father-in-law, Gen Praphas. In October 1976, Thanom returned to Thailand in the robes of a novice monk.
In 1976, MR Seni was the elected prime minister. "People cricitised him for not expelling Thanom from Thailand. Khun Seni told me, 'There is no provision in any piece of Thai law to expel a Thai citizen from the country. Regardless of the criticism', he said, 'we have to follow the legal principle.' "
However, Thanom's entry later triggered the student bloodshed on Oct 6, 1976.
Adm Sangad Chaloryu later staged a coup and ousted the Seni government.
Three Democrat Party members -- Mr Chuan, Surin Massadit and Damrong Lathapipat -- were accused of being communists.
"I went into hiding, staying at different places in Thailand," said Mr Chuan. "Many people refused to help him because they were afraid.
"However, MR Seni allowed me to give his home address to people who wanted to send a message to me."
