Boonchu Rojanastien

Boonchu Rojanastien
บุญชู โรจนเสถียร
Deputy Prime Minister
In office September 29, 1992 – October 25, 1994
Prime Minister	Chuan Leekpai
In office March 12, 1980 – March 11, 1981
Prime Minister	Prem Tinsulanonda
Minister of Finance
In office March 17, 1975 – April 20, 1976
Prime Minister	M.R. Kukrit Pramoj
Personal details
Born	January 20, 1921 Chonburi, Thailand
Died	March 19, 2007 Bangkok, Thailand
Nationality	Thai
Political party	Democrat Party Palang Dharma Social Action Party
Alma mater	Thammasat University
Profession	Accountant
Religion	Buddhism

Boonchu Rojanastien (Thai: บุญชู โรจนเสถียร; rtgs: Bunchu Rotchanasathian, Chinese: 黃聞波, Huang Wenbo born January 20, 1921, Chon Buri Province, Thailand, died March 19, 2007, Bangkok) was a Thai banker. Touted as Thailand's first "economics tsar", he served in the government of Kukrit Pramoj in 1975 and 1976. During his tenure as finance minister, he initiated a policy of "ngern phan" (money allocation), which distributed several billion baht of government funds to 5,000 tambon, or local government, councils. His populist policies would later be embraced under the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra.

Boonchu was the eldest of five children born to a Thai Chinese carpenter of Hainanese origin in Chon Buri Province. He married Renu Rojanastien, and had two children Krip Rojanastien and Ora Rojanastien. He excelled at school and entered Thammasat University, graduating with a degree in accounting. He then opened his own accounting firm, and shortly after that joined Bangkok Bank. He eventually became president of the bank, from 1977 to 1980, and led the institution through expansion and the establishment of branches across Thailand.

He became involved in politics in 1973 under the administration of Prime Minister Sanya Dharmasakti. Boonchu was appointed a senator and he played a role in drafting the Constitution in 1974.

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