Anupong Paochinda
Encyclopedia
General Anupong Paochinda is a former Commander in Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...

 of the Royal Thai Army. He held the position from 2007 until his retirement on 30 September 2010.

While a Lieutenant General holding the position of 1st Army Area Commander, Anupong was also an appointed member of the Council for National Security, the junta that staged the 2006 Thai coup d'état and deposed the caretaker government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....

.

Life

Anupong completed a primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...

 from Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

's Phanthasuksa Pitthaya School in 1965 and Thai-British Curriculum Amnuay Silpa School in the following year, a military education from Thailand's Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School
Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School, Thailand
The Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School or AFAPS is a Thai military academy, providing an education equivalent to the last three years of senior high school . It is under the command of the Education Department of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters...

 in 1967 (Class 10) and from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy or CRMA is the military academy of Royal Thai Army. Established in 1887 it has graduated the vast majority of Thailand's military leaders and many of them become Thai Prime Ministers.-History:...

 in 1972 (Class 21), as well as a degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...

 of political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...

 from Ramkhamhaeng University
Ramkhamhaeng University
Ramkhamhaeng University is one of two open universities in Thailand. The university was named in honor of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great of Sukhothai, who traditionally is credited for creating the Thai alphabet....

 in 1993, and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...

 from the National Defence College of Thailand
National Defence College of Thailand
The National Defence College of Thailand or NDC is an education organization that provides advanced training for both senior military officers and civilians. It is operated by the Royal Thai Armed Forces of the Thai Ministry of Defence...

's Class 26 of Thailand's National Institute of Development Administration
National Institute of Development Administration
National Institute of Development Administration is Thailand's most prestigious graduate university under the Commission on Higher Education, the Ministry of Education...

 in 2004, respectively.

Anupong has been appointed to many military offices, including inter alia, commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...

 of the 21st Army Battalion in charge of Privy Protection, commandant of Queen Sirikit's Lion-hearted Army
Musketeer
A musketeer was an early modern type of infantry soldier equipped with a musket. Musketeers were an important part of early modern armies, particularly in Europe. They sometimes could fight on horseback, like a dragoon or a cavalryman...

, commandant of the 1st Army Division in charge of Privy Protection, deputy commander and commander of the 1st Army Area. Anupong was selected by the Council of Ministers of Thailand to hold the position of the Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army on 19 September 2007, and promoted to such position by Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...

 on 1 October of the same year.

Anupong is married to Kunlaya Paochinda . They have two children, Yutthaphong Paochinda and Wimalin Paochinda .

On 2 October 2008, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Thailand
The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....

 Samak Sundaravej
Samak Sundaravej
Samak Sundaravej was a Thai Chinese politician who briefly served as the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defense in 2008, as well as the leader of the People's Power Party in 2008.-Early life and family:...

, following a civil insurgency
2008 Thai political crisis
Since 2008, there has been an ongoing political crisis in Thailand in form of a conflict between the People's Alliance for Democracy and the People's Power Party governments of Prime Ministers Somchai Wongsawat and Samak Sundaravej, respectively, and later between the Democrat Party government of...

 demanding his resignation
Resignation
A resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one's office or position. It can also refer to the act of admitting defeat in a game like chess, indicated by the resigning player declaring "I resign", turning his king on its side, extending his hand, or stopping the chess clock...

 or impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....

, impose a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...

 throughout Bangkok Metropolis
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

 and appointed Anupong as the leader of the officers in charge of the state of emergency.

On 14 January 2010, Anupong ordered the suspension
Suspension (punishment)
Suspension is a form of punishment that people receive for violating rules and regulations.- Workplace :Suspension is a common practice in the workplace for being in violation of an organization's policy...

 of Major General Khattiya Sawasdipol
Khattiya Sawasdipol
Khattiya Sawasdipol , alias Seh Daeng , was a major general in the Royal Thai Army, assigned to the Internal Security Operations Command. He claimed to have helped the United States spy on North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and to have taken part in the CIA-financed "Secret War" against the...

, the controversial "Seh Daeng", after an inquiry committee found that Khattiya had publicly proclaimed his loyalty to the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship
National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship
The United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship , whose supporters are commonly called "Red Shirts", is a political pressure group opposed to the People's Alliance for Democracy , the 2006 Thai military coup, and supporters of the coup. Notable UDD leaders include Jatuporn Prompan, Nattawut...

, a political pressure group supporting Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....

, breaching military discipline. The following day, Anupong's office in the Royal Thai Army Headquarters was attacked by unknown parties using an M79 grenade launcher. The unoccupied office office was slightly damaged.

Quotes

  • "If the people are one, we are with the people. But, if the people are parts, there is no place for us."
Anupong expressed his standpoint after having been charged with duties to remedy the State of Emergency in Bangkok
2008 Thai political crisis
Since 2008, there has been an ongoing political crisis in Thailand in form of a conflict between the People's Alliance for Democracy and the People's Power Party governments of Prime Ministers Somchai Wongsawat and Samak Sundaravej, respectively, and later between the Democrat Party government of...

.

  • "Our purview is to prevent any state of emergency to be occurred from clashes. But, the remedy of conflicts should be undertaken by other mechanism, for which I still insist that National Assembly
    National Assembly of Thailand
    The National Assembly of Thailand or the Parliament of Thailand is the legislative branch of the government of Thailand. The National Assembly of Thailand is a bicameral body, consisting of two chambers: the upper house, , and the lower house,...

     should take more responsibilities for the Country."

  • "If I can talk with him, I would talk with him. He has already expressed his standpoint according to his reasons and explanations. The only answer I have is this is beyond my ability."
Anupong replied to the media asking that "The performance of duties of Prime Minister Samak
Samak Sundaravej
Samak Sundaravej was a Thai Chinese politician who briefly served as the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defense in 2008, as well as the leader of the People's Power Party in 2008.-Early life and family:...

 in previous 7-8 months has led to various problems. How would you speak to the PM, to urge him to resign or to dissolve the House?".

  • "The way out by using armed forces is a closed door and is no more. We have to enter another way out, regardless of to which whether or not we can reach, in order to cope with this problems."
Anupong replied to the media asking how he will remedy the political crisis in Thailand
2008 Thai political crisis
Since 2008, there has been an ongoing political crisis in Thailand in form of a conflict between the People's Alliance for Democracy and the People's Power Party governments of Prime Ministers Somchai Wongsawat and Samak Sundaravej, respectively, and later between the Democrat Party government of...

.

  • "The way out through military's taking control over the Country is a closed door and no more...This way is barred up by walls, and no one should try to take this way."
Anupong replied to the media asking how he will remedy the political crisis in Thailand
2008 Thai political crisis
Since 2008, there has been an ongoing political crisis in Thailand in form of a conflict between the People's Alliance for Democracy and the People's Power Party governments of Prime Ministers Somchai Wongsawat and Samak Sundaravej, respectively, and later between the Democrat Party government of...

.

  • "I have always said that someone is at a wrong side. However, so as to get by this crisis, we need to uphold the rule of law
    Rule of law
    The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...

    , and according to which, he holds the legitimacy right now...If the military has to take part in this operation, the part we will be with is the people."
Anupong replied to the media asking that "If armed forces is needed for coping with the situations, what will you choose between the public life and the sacrifice of a despicable Prime Minister?".

See also

  • 2008 Thai political crisis
    2008 Thai political crisis
    Since 2008, there has been an ongoing political crisis in Thailand in form of a conflict between the People's Alliance for Democracy and the People's Power Party governments of Prime Ministers Somchai Wongsawat and Samak Sundaravej, respectively, and later between the Democrat Party government of...

  • 2006 Thai coup d'état
  • Council for Democratic Reform
  • Council for National Security
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