Abhisit's father dies aged 87

Mr Abhisit said his father died of leukemia after two years of treatment at Ramathibodi Hospital.

A royally-sponsored bathing ceremony will be held at Wat Thep Sirintharawat today, he said.

Dr Atthasit served as a former deputy public health minister, was a former president of the Royal Society, a former president of Mahidol University, and a former senator.

While dean of Ramathibodi Hospital's faculty of medicine, he initiated a project establishing its Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Centre.

Born on Nov 3, 1935, he was the 7th of 10 children of Kosit and Supian Vejjajiva.

His elder brother, Nissai Vejjajiva, was a former diplomat and the father of Suranand Vejjajiva who served as a former PM's Office minister during the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

Dr Atthasit married Dr Sodsai Vejjajiva. They have three children -- Dr Alisa Wacharasindhu, head of a paediatric psychiatry unit at Chulalongkorn University's faculty of medicine, Ngamphan Vejjajiva, who won the SEA Write Award in 2006, and Mr Abhisit.