<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
	<periodOfReport>2003-12-12</periodOfReport>
	<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000097745</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>THERMO ELECTRON CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TMO</issuerTradingSymbol>
	</issuer>
	<reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216076</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MANZI JIM P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>81 WYMAN STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>P.O. BOX 9046</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WALTHAM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>024549046</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
			<isDirector>1</isDirector>
			<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
			<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
			<isOther>0</isOther>
		</reportingOwnerRelationship>
	</reportingOwner>
	<nonDerivativeTable>
		<nonDerivativeTransaction>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Common Stock</value>
			</securityTitle>
			<transactionDate>
				<value>2003-12-12</value>
			</transactionDate>
			<deemedExecutionDate>
			</deemedExecutionDate>
			<transactionCoding>
				<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
				<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
				<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
			</transactionCoding>
			<transactionAmounts>
				<transactionShares>
					<value>15000</value>
				</transactionShares>
				<transactionPricePerShare>
					<value>0</value>
				</transactionPricePerShare>
				<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
					<value>A</value>
				</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
			</transactionAmounts>
			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>15000.00</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
			</postTransactionAmounts>
			<ownershipNature>
				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>D</value>
				</directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<natureOfOwnership>
					<value/>
				</natureOfOwnership>
			</ownershipNature>
		</nonDerivativeTransaction>
	</nonDerivativeTable>
	<derivativeTable>
		<derivativeTransaction>
			<securityTitle>
				<value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
			</securityTitle>
			<conversionOrExercisePrice>
				<value>23.41</value>
			</conversionOrExercisePrice>
			<transactionDate>
				<value>2003-12-12</value>
			</transactionDate>
			<deemedExecutionDate>
			</deemedExecutionDate>
			<transactionCoding>
				<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
				<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
				<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
			</transactionCoding>
			<transactionAmounts>
				<transactionShares>
					<value>240000</value>
				</transactionShares>
				<transactionPricePerShare>
					<value>0</value>
				</transactionPricePerShare>
				<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
					<value>A</value>
				</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
			</transactionAmounts>
			<exerciseDate>
				<footnoteId id="F1"/>
			</exerciseDate>
			<expirationDate>
				<value>2010-12-12</value>
			</expirationDate>
			<underlyingSecurity>
				<underlyingSecurityTitle>
					<value>Common Stock</value>
				</underlyingSecurityTitle>
				<underlyingSecurityShares>
					<value>240000.00</value>
				</underlyingSecurityShares>
			</underlyingSecurity>
			<postTransactionAmounts>
				<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
					<value>240000.00</value>
				</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
			</postTransactionAmounts>
			<ownershipNature>
				<directOrIndirectOwnership>
					<value>D</value>
				</directOrIndirectOwnership>
				<natureOfOwnership>
					<value/>
				</natureOfOwnership>
			</ownershipNature>
		</derivativeTransaction>
	</derivativeTable>
	<footnotes>
		<footnote id="F1">The option vests in three equal annual installments beginning on December 31, 2004.</footnote>
	</footnotes>
	<remarks>
	</remarks>
	<ownerSignature>
		<signatureName>By: Barbara J. Lucas, Attorney-in-Fact for Jim P. Manzi</signatureName>
		<signatureDate>2003-12-15</signatureDate>
	</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "man186.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4302}]
X0201
4
2003-12-12
0
0000097745
THERMO ELECTRON CORP
TMO
0001216076
MANZI JIM P
81 WYMAN STREET
P.O. BOX 9046
WALTHAM
MA
024549046
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2003-12-12
4
A
0
15000
0
A
15000.00
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
23.41
2003-12-12
4
A
0
240000
0
A
2010-12-12
Common Stock
240000.00
240000.00
D
The option vests in three equal annual installments beginning on December 31, 2004.
By: Barbara J. Lucas, Attorney-in-Fact for Jim P. Manzi
2003-12-15