List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
Encyclopedia
Plaek Pibulsonggram
Field Marshal Plaek Pibunsongkhram , often known as Phibun Songkhram or simply Phibun in English, was Prime Minister and virtual military dictator of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.- Early years :...
, during the Second World War. However under Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajata
Sarit Dhanarajata
Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat , was a Thai career soldier who staged a coup in 1957, thereafter serving as Thailand's Prime Minister until his death in 1963. He was born in Bangkok, but grew up in his mother's home town in Lao-speaking northeastern Thailand and considered himself a northeasterner...
the position became permanent, and in its early life was even combined with the post of Prime Minister of Thailand
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....
. In February 2008 the name of the post was changed from Supreme Commander of the Supreme Command HQ (ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด) to the Commander of the RTAFHQ or Chief of Defence Forces (ผู้บัญชาการกองทัพไทย). The current commander is General Songkitti Jaggabatara
Songkitti Jaggabatara
General Songkitti Jaggabatara is the Chief of Defence Forces, Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters since October 1, 2008 and will retire from active service on October 1, 2011.-Military Life:...
since 2008.
Supreme Commander
| No. | Name | Term begins | Term ends | Branch |
| 1 | Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram | 13 November 1940 | 30 April 1941 | Royal Thai Army |
| 12 November 1941 | 24 November 1943 | |||
| 2 | Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajata | 27 September 1957 | 8 December 1963 | Royal Thai Army |
| 3 | Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn Thanom Kittikachorn Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn was a military dictator of Thailand. A staunch anti-Communist, Thanom oversaw a decade of military rule in Thailand from 1963 to 1973, until public protests which exploded into violence forced him to step down... |
11 December 1963 | 30 September 1973 | Royal Thai Army |
| 4 | Air Chief Marshal Thawee Chulasap | 1 October 1973 | 30 September 1974 | Royal Thai Air Force Royal Thai Air Force The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid... |
| 5 | General Krit Srivara Krit Srivara General Krit Srivara was a military officer of the Royal Thai Army, a member of the Thai Cabinet, and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army during the violent crackdown on democracy protesters on 14 October 1973... |
1 October 1974 | 30 September 1975 | Royal Thai Army |
| 6 | Admiral Sangad Chaloryu Sangad Chaloryu Admiral Sangad Chaloryu was a Thai admiral and politician who served as head of the National Administrative Reform Council , a military junta that ruled Thailand from 1976-1980.... |
1 October 1975 | 30 September 1976 | Royal Thai Navy Royal Thai Navy The Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the... |
| 7 | Air Chief Marshal Kamon Dachatungkha | 1 October 1976 | 30 September 1977 | Royal Thai Air Force |
| 8 | General Kriangsak Chomanan Kriangsak Chomanan General Kriangsak Chomanan served as prime minister of Thailand from 1977 to 1980.A professional soldier, General Kriangsak fought against the communists in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War... |
1 October 1977 | 30 September 1978 | Royal Thai Army |
| 9 | General Sareum na Nakhon | 1 October 1979 | 30 September 1981 | Royal Thai Army |
| 10 | General Saiyud Kerdphol | 1 October 1981 | 30 September 1983 | Royal Thai Army |
| 11 | General Arthit Kamlangek Arthit Kamlangek General Arthit Kamlang-ek was the former Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army and the Supreme Commander of the Thai Armed Forces. He was particularly influential during the 1980s during the government of Prem Tinsulanonda.-Education and early career:... |
1 October 1983 | 30 September 1986 | Royal Thai Army |
| 12 | Admiral Supha Gajaseni | 1 October 1986 | 30 September 1987 | Royal Thai Navy |
| 13 | General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Chavalit Yongchaiyudh General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is a Thai politician and retired general. He was Thailand's 22nd Prime Minister from 1996 to 1997. He is of Sino-Thai and ethnic Lao descent.... |
1 October 1987 | 31 March 1990 | Royal Thai Army |
| 14 | General Sunthorn Kongsompong Sunthorn Kongsompong General Sunthorn Kongsompong was the de facto head of government of Thailand from 1991 - 1992, following a military coup d'etat led by Sunthorn and General Suchinda Kraprayoon deposed the government of Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan on February 23, 1991... |
1 April 1990 | 30 September 1991 | Royal Thai Army |
| 15 | General Suchinda Kraprayoon Suchinda Kraprayoon Suchinda Kraprayoon was Prime Minister of Thailand from 7 April 1992 until 24 May 1992.Suchinda, son of Juang and Sompong Kraprayoon, was born 6 August 1933 in the province of Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, and is of Chinese and Mon descent... |
1 October 1991 | 4 April 1992 | Royal Thai Army |
| 16 | Air Chief Marshal Kaset Rojananin | 6 April 1992 | 31 July 1992 | Royal Thai Air Force |
| 17 | Air Chief Marshal Voranat Aphichari | 1 August 1992 | 30 September 1994 | Royal Thai Air Force |
| 18 | General Watanachai Wootisiri | 1 October 1994 | 30 September 1995 | Royal Thai Army |
| 19 | General Viroj Sangsanit | 1 October 1995 | 30 September 1996 | Royal Thai Army |
| 20 | General Mongkon Amphornpisit | 1 October 1996 | 30 September 2000 | Royal Thai Army |
| 21 | General Somphao Chusri | 1 October 2000 | 30 September 2001 | Royal Thai Army |
| 22 | Admiral Narong Yuthavong | 1 October 2001 | 30 September 2002 | Royal Thai Navy |
| 23 | General Surayud Chulanont Surayud Chulanont General Surayud Chulanont is a Thai political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's Interim Government between 2006 and 2008... |
1 October 2002 | 30 September 2003 | Royal Thai Army |
| 24 | General Somtat Attanand | 1 October 2003 | 30 September 2004 | Royal Thai Army |
| 25 | General Chaiyasit Shinawatra Chaiyasit Shinawatra Chaiyasit Shinawatra is a former commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army. As a cousin of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, his unexpected appointment was criticised as an act of nepotism.... |
1 October 2004 | 30 September 2005 | Royal Thai Army |
| 26 | General Ruangroj Mahasaranon Ruangroj Mahasaranon General Ruangroj Mahasaranon is the Supreme Commander General of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. Following the 2006 Thailand coup d'état, ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra attempted to put Ruangroj in power until Thaksin returned. However, Ruangroj was later named the Chief Advisor to the... |
1 October 2005 | 30 September 2006 | Royal Thai Army |
| 27 | General Boonsrang Niumpradit | 1 October 2006 | 30 September 2008 | Royal Thai Army |
Chief of Defence Forces
| No. | Name | Term begins | Term ends | Branch |
| 28 | General Songkitti Jaggabatara Songkitti Jaggabatara General Songkitti Jaggabatara is the Chief of Defence Forces, Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters since October 1, 2008 and will retire from active service on October 1, 2011.-Military Life:... |
1 October 2008 | 30 September 2011 | Royal Thai Army |
| 29 | General Thanasak Patimaprakorn | 1 October 2011 | Incumbent | Royal Thai Army |
See also
- Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
- Royal Thai Armed Forces
- List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Army
- List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Navy
- List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Air Force