A son of Sub-Lt Phin and Mrs Sakhon Kamlang-ek, Gen Arthit was born on Aug 31, 1925. He finished primary education at Promwitthayamul School, secondary education at Benjamabopit School and the pre-university education at Amnuaysilp School.
He was a student in the 5th batch of the pre-army school between 1944-1948. His classmates at the time included future generals Thienchai Sirisamphan and Banchob Bunnag and future air chief marshall Praphan Thupatemiya.
In 1981 he led the counter-coup against the Young Turks coup of 1981, being rewarded with a promotion to Commander of the First Army Region.
A year later he was appointed army chief, succeeding Gen Prayuth Charymanee who had retired. A year after that he was appointed to take the concurrent post, largely ceremonial, of supreme commander after the retirement of Gen Saiyud Kerdpol.
While Gen Arthit was concurrently holding the posts of army chief and supreme commander, Gen Prem Tinsulanonda was prime minister.
In November 1984, Sommai Hoontrakul, the then-finance minister, devalued the Thai baht 14.8 per cent, from 23 baht to the US dollar to 27, prompting Gen Arthit to harshly criticise the government, causing his relations with Gen Prem to turn sour.
As a result, Gen Arthit was unexpectedly stripped of the army commander post on May 27, 1986 – the first Army chief ever to be fired. He was replaced as army chief by Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.
Gen Arthit entered politics after retiring as supreme commander. He set up the Puang Chon Chao Thai Party and ran successfully for Parliament.
He was appointed deputy defence minister in a new government of Gen Chatichai Choonhavan. But Gen Chatichai was arrested and his government overthrown in a coup led by Gen Suchinda Kraprayoon on Feb 23, 1991.
After the May 1992 bloodshed in the streets of Bangkok, Gen Arthit’s Puang Chon Chao Thai Party was renamed Chart Pattana, with Gen Chatichai as new leader.
Gen Arthit later became senator for Loei Province.
He will be remembered for presiding over a series of amnesties in the early 1980s, allowing peasants, farmers and students – fighting the government under the Communist banner after the student rising of 1973 and the massacre of students in 1976 – to come in from the forest and reintegrate into society.
Additional reporting: The Phuket News