Thai DPM Chumpol dies of heart failure

BANGKOK, January 21 (TNA) - A Thai Deputy Prime Minister, Chumpol Silpa-archa, who is also Tourism and Sports Minister, died of heart failure at the age of 72 years old on Monday morning. Chumpol was pronounced dead at Bangkok's Ramathibodi Hospital at about 9:30am. On December 17, 2012, he was sent to Mission Hospital in the capital, after having chest pain, dribbling saliva and breathing difficulty at his office inside Government House. He was then diagnosed with coronary heart disease, which blocked blood from reaching his brain and heart. Later he was referred to Ramathibodi Hospital. Chumpol was the leader of the coaliton Chartthaipattana Party and was also tourism and sports minister under the previous Democrat Party-led coalition government. Chumpol was born in Thailand's Suphan Buri Province and was a younger brother of Thailand’s 21st prime minister, Banhan Silpa-archa. (TNA)