Surayud Chulanont | |
|---|---|
สุรยุทธ์ จุลานนท์ | |
.jpg) Surayud in 2007 | |
| 7th President of the Privy Council of Thailand | |
| Assumed office 2 January 2020 Acting: 27 May 2019 — 2 January 2020 | |
| Monarch | Vajiralongkorn |
| Preceded by | Prem Tinsulanonda |
| Privy Councillor of Thailand | |
| In office 29 December 2016 – 2 January 2020 | |
| Monarch | Vajiralongkorn |
| 24th Prime Minister of Thailand | |
| In office 1 October 2006 – 29 January 2008 | |
| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Deputy |
|
| Preceded by | Sonthi Boonyaratglin (as Head of the Council for Democratic Reform) |
| Succeeded by | Samak Sundaravej |
| Minister of Interior | |
| In office 3 October 2007 – 6 February 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Aree Wong-araya |
| Succeeded by | Chalerm Yubamrung |
| Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces | |
| In office 1 October 2002 – 30 September 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Narong Yuthavong |
| Succeeded by | Somtat Attanand |
| Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army | |
| In office 1 October 1998 – 30 September 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Chettha Thannajaro |
| Succeeded by | Somtat Attanand |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 August 1943 Chakrapong Camp, Mueang Prachinburi, Prachinburi, Thailand |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Spouse(s) | Duangphon Rattanakri (div.) Chitravadee Chulanont |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent |
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| Alma mater | Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy National Defence College of Thailand |
| Profession | Soldier |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Thailand |
| Branch/service | Royal Thai Army |
| Years of service | 1965–2003 |
| Rank | |
| Commands |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
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Surayud Chulanont (Thai: สุรยุทธ์ จุลานนท์, RTGS: Surayut Chulanon, IPA: [sù.rá.jút t͡ɕù.laː.non]; born 28 August 1943) is a Thai politician. He was the prime minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's interim government between 2006 and 2008. He is a former supreme commander of the Royal Thai Army and is currently Privy Councilor to King Vajiralongkorn.
Surayud came from a military family, but his father defected from the Royal Thai Army to the Communist Party of Thailand when Surayud was a boy. Surayud joined the Thai Army and rose to power as an aide to General Prem Tinsulanonda. He commanded troops during Bloody May, the violent 1992 crackdown on anti-government protesters, but he denied giving his men the order to shoot protesters. He was promoted to army commander during the government of Chuan Leekpai and was promoted to supreme commander in 2003, under the government of Thaksin Shinawatra. Upon his retirement from the army, he was appointed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej to the Privy Council of Thailand. Surayud and Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda played a key role in the promotion of General Sonthi Boonratklin to the position of army commander.
Sonthi overthrew the government of Shinawatra in a coup on 19 September 2006 and implored Surayud to be the head of interim government. Surayud's government was controversial. There was a significant worsening in perceived levels of corruption during his government.[1] Surayud's Deputy Finance Minister, Sommai Pasee, was sentenced to jail for abuse of power.[2] Surayud raised the military budget by 35% and was accused of economic mismanagement, rampant human rights abuses, and flip-flopping on numerous policies. Article 19 ranked Thailand as falling behind Cambodia and Indonesia in terms of freedom of expression.[3] Thailand's economic growth rate slowed to the lowest level in five years and was ranked the lowest in the region.[4][5] However, Surayud was praised for apologising for atrocities committed by the Thai military fighting the South Thailand insurgency, although the apology was accompanied by a sharp escalation in violence. He has been accused of forest reserve encroachment (a charge that was not investigated since the statute of limitations had run out by two years) and of illegally acquiring train carriages for display in his forest home.
He is married to Chitravadi Santhadwet Chulanont (Thai: จิตรวดี สันทัดเวช) and has three sons namely Captain Non, Khao and Nam.
- ^ Transparency International, 2007 Corruption Perceptions Index Archived 11 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Nation, Convicted deputy finance minister resigns Archived 15 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine, 13 December 2007
- ^ The Nation, Defamation law decried Archived 18 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine, 16 October 2007
- ^ Bangkok Post, Thailand's economic growth lowest in region, World Bank says
- ^ Xinhua, World Bank urges Thailand to enhance economy Archived 11 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine, 15 November 2007