Saprang Kalayanamitr
Encyclopedia
General Saprang Kalayanamitr or Big Poei , born 8 July 1948 in Lampang
, Thailand
) is a retired officer of the Royal Thai Army, Assistant Secretary-General of the Council for National Security, Commander of the junta
's 14,000-man anti-protest force, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Airports of Thailand
(AoT), and also Chairman of the Boards of TOT
and CAT Telecom
, two major Thai state-owned telecommunication companies.
Saprang grew up in an aristocratic military family and graduated from the 7th Class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and the 18th Class of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
. He served for nearly three decades in the Army cavalry
corp, and was promoted to 3rd Army Region Commander in 2005. He was a key leader of the September 2006 coup that overthrew the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
.
Saprang is one of the fiercest critics of Thaksin Shinawatra
, calling him a "traitor" and claiming that he should be "banished to live forever in the jungle." Upon appointment to chair Airports of Thailand
and TOT
, he purged the management, initiated investigations into the overthrown government, and donated 200 million baht of the agency's funds to the Army. He fired the President of TOT for questioning an 800 million baht donation that the agency made to the Army. As head of CAT Telecom, he was accused of blocking attempts to launch People's Television
, a new television station founded by ex-leaders of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai
party.
Saprang was considered one of the top contenders to lead the army and the junta after CNS-leader Sonthi Boonyaratkalin's mandatory retirement in 2007. However, in September 2007 he was demoted to be Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Defense Ministry, while his rival, General Anupong Paochinda, was promoted to lead the Army. As a result, Saprang retired from the Army in 2010.
, Thailand
, Saprang graduated from the 7th Class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (AFAPS) and the 18th Class of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
. His classmates included General Paisan Katanyu (appointed Deputy Army Commander after the coup), Admiral Bannawit Kengrien (appointed to the National Legislative Assembly after the coup, and leader of its Suvarnabhumi Airport committee), and General Lertrat Rattavanich. He later graduated from the 43rd class of the National Defence College of Thailand
in 2001. His NDC thesis concerned the role of military forces in the control of illegal narcotics. His NDC classmates included Kraisi Karnasuta, governor of state energy company EGAT
.
Leader in the 3rd Infantry Battalion
, 4th Regiment
al Combat Team. He claims to have fought 200 battles during the course of his military career.
He was appointed Commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 4th Infantry Regiment in 1982, stationed in Nakhonsawan (on the northwestern border with Burma). In 1985, he became Commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion in the 19th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Surasee Fort, Kanchanaburi
(on the western border with Burma).
He was then promoted to be Regimental Commanding Officer of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School in 1990. In 1991, he began a six year stint as Regimental Commanding Officer of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.
In April 1997, Saprang was shortly transferred to the Ministry of Defense as a staff officer, before being promoted in October 1997 to Commanding General of the 15th Infantry Division
, at the time stationed in Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
. In 2003, he was promoted to 3rd Corps
Commander. In 2004, it was strongly rumored that Saprang might be promoted to command the 4th Army, replacing General Pongsak Ekbannasingh. General Pongsak had been criticized for ineffectually fighting the South Thailand insurgency
, after 39 successful arson attacks occurred in just one night. Pongsak ended up being replaced in April 2004 by Pisarn Wattanawongkhiri.
and responsible most of northern
and northeastern Thailand. Analysts had expected Prime Minister Thaksin to promote his own classmates from AFAPS Class 10 to the powerful position instead. At the same time, also in a surprise move, Deputy Army Commander Sonthi Boonyaratkalin was promoted to Army Commander.
Saprang and Sonthi started planning for the coup 7 to 8 months in advance, in approximately February 2006. Coup planning occurred prior to the April 2006 elections, during Thaksin's controversial sale of Shin Corporation
to Temasek Holdings
and the peak of the People's Alliance for Democracy
's campaign to oust the government. In July 2006, Saprang gave an interview where he stated that Thai politics was below standard and that the Kingdom's leadership was weak. He also claimed that Thailand had a false democracy. He denied that such criticism constituted military interference in politics. At the same time, the Thai media speculated that in the October 2006 annual Army reshuffle, Saprang would not be promoted to Assistant Army Commander and would not be allowed to retain his position of 3rd Army Area Commander. In July, Saprang's own Deputy Commander in the 3rd Army Area, Major General
Manas Paorik, warned the media that "a certain military officer who aspires to become Assistant Army Commander" was planning a coup.
In the weeks leading up to coup, Saprang openly mobilised soldiers and northern residents to rebel against the government. Saprang played a key role on the evening of 19 September 2006, securing Thaksin's home town and power base of Chiang Mai
. That same night, he was appointed assistant Secretary-General of the CNS. The coup was executed just a week before the announcement of the Army's annual reshuffle.
. His predecessor, General Pornchai Kranlert, had not taken part in the coup and was transferred to an inactive position. Saprang was also promoted from Lieutenant General
to General.
(AoT) and also Chairman of the Boards of TOT
and CAT Telecom
, two major state-owned telecommunication companies. Saprang's first move as TOT Chairman was to hand-pick three Army colonels and vocal Thaksin-critic Vuthiphong Priebjrivat to sit on the state enterprise's Board of Directors. Saprang transferred TOT President Somkuan Bruminhent to an inactive position and appointed Vuthiphong new President. He then hand-picked all 10 other directors.
Saprang noted in an interview that, "if telecommunication businesses are in private hands, the country won't be safe." The junta had earlier announced plans to cancel the initial public offering
of both TOT and CAT Telecom and to merge the two state enterprises.
Under Saprang's leadership, TOT reaffirmed its ownership rights to all existing backbone telecommunications networks under a new strategy to act as a "genuine" national telecom company. The new strategy was expected to increase political and business tensions. Under the Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO) concession agreements that TOT signed with private telecom operators, the TOT technically owns all fixed-line, mobile, and optical fibre networks in Thailand. However, it had never exercised those rights in the past.
Vuthiphong was fired from the TOT board and his position of acting TOT President in June 2007. He immediately accused the Army of using the TOT as an unmonitored slush fund
. He claimed that an unnamed Army unit had requested that TOT buy it 800 million baht worth of electronic equipment. Upon receiving the request, Vuthipong demanded to know why neither the Army nor the Defence Ministry used their own secret budgets to purchase the equipment, and why an internal Army unit, rather than the Kingdom's main national security organisations, had made the request. Saprang denied that there was any lack of transparency in the request for financial support. Vuthipong claimed that the equipment should only have cost 30 million baht, not 800 million baht. He was fired and expelled from the Board soon after refusing to sign off on the deal. The Board later appointed Col. Natee Sukolrat as the new TOT President and accepted the army's donation request.
Under his leadership, TOT's performance dropped. Revenues for the first half of 2007 fell 13% year-on-year, while net profit
fell 36.1%. Fixed line revenue dropped 16%, while public telephone and international call revenue by 30% each.
As Chairman of CAT Telecom, Saprang was accused by the founders of People's Television
(PTV), a new satellite television station, of being behind CAT Telecom's refusal to grant an internet link from Bangkok to a satellite up-link station in Hong Kong
. PTV was established by several ex-executives of the Thai Rak Thai
party. CAT Telecom claimed that it never received PTV's application for internet access.
Under Saprang's leadership, 80,000 subscribers of Thai Mobile, a TOT/CAT joint venture mobile phone operator, were cut off temporarily in early May 2007 when owners TOT and CAT Telecom failed to pay the bills of a major supplier. Thai Mobile had accumulated significant losses and the company was not able to make its debt payments or supplier payments. The partners had stopped payments to the supplier, Samart Corporation, for nearly a year, until Samart threatened to suspend services within three days. After no payment, it delivered on its threat. TOT was subsequently able to negotiate with Samart to restart the service.
and AoT Commercial Operations were dismissed. Police Commissioner General Seripisut Temiyavej was appointed as an AoT Director.
, despite objections from the Civil Aviation Department, airlines, and internal studies within Airports of Thailand
. 60 airlines threatened to halt flights to Thailand if they were forced to move back to Don Muang airport.
Saprang also refused to authorize urgent repairs on the airport tarmac, despite warnings from engineers. Karun Chandrarangsu, president of the Engineering Institute of Thailand noted, "Suvarnabhumi is like a patient in a coma who continues to suffer from severe bleeding. Stopping the blood flow now is more urgent and important than debating what caused the injury." The Engineering Institute of Thailand sent a formal warning to AoT in November 2006 about the urgent need to drain water from beneath the tarmac, and noted that immediate action should be taken. "The AOT did nothing about the problem", Suebsak Promboon of the EIT noted. "The situation might not have become this bad if the water had been drained then." Suebsak Promboon, a senior foundation engineer and a member of the Tortrakul Yomnak-led airport tarmac inspection panel, accused the AOT of refusing to take any actions to solve the problems at the airport.
The airport faced ongoing operational challenges, including a computer virus that shut down the automated luggage bomb-scanning system in June 2007. A study by the International Air Transport Association
(IATA) released in July 2007 found the airport unsafe, citing numerous spots where checked passengers can meet people who have not passed through security checkpoints.
Serious security gaps at Suvarnabhumi Airport became known to the public beginning in early 2007. The International Air Transport Association
(IATA) found that there were many spots in the passenger terminal where checked passengers can meet people who have not passed through security checks and could receive unchecked objects and then carry them on board aircraft. The IATA also suggested that AoT deploy its own security staff instead of contracting out the job to the Loxley-ICTS consortium. AoT threatened the consortium with contract termination, but didn't follow through with its threat, even though the consortium failed to live up to its contract. Six months later, AoT stated that it still couldn't make up its mind on how it should improve airport security. AoT said it was open to all possible options, and has taken no action to upgrade the problem.
, and the trip, which cost 7.2 million baht was attacked for "squandering" state funds for personal pleasure, disbursing unrealistic expenses, and inflating costs. The travel agent along received a 500,000 baht commission fee for booking the trip. Saprang denied any wrongdoing and claimed he was the victim of a smear campaign. He also noted that "If you knew my character, you would know that even if a relative joined the trip he should have realised that he should work hard." He also noted that instead of being a viewed as a defendant, he should be viewed as a hero for bringing down the Thaksin government. Saprang then summoned the leader of the AoT labor union in order to identify who leaked information about the trip to his accusers.
.
The AoT board also granted 200 million baht to the Army, which had requested a financial donation. AoT also lended some of its explosives detectors to the Army for use in the South Thailand insurrection.
Financial performance continued to spiral downwards in the 3rd quarter of 2007. Net profit for the period ending June fell by 84% from a year before, despite higher traffic and a 17.9% increase in revenue. The fall in profit was attributed to AoT's court case against King Power, the operator of duty-free shops within Suvarnabhumi Airport. King Power's concession was suspended while the case was in court, forcing AOT to stop reporting earnings from the concessionaire.
, and prior to the coup had even called Thaksin's supporters within the military "evil." After the coup, Saprang called Thaksin a "traitor" and said that he should be "banished to live forever in the jungle."
He also accused Thaksin of spying on the military while he was Prime Minister.
Although Saprang and General Sonthi accused Thaksin of insulting and disrespecting King Bhumibol, he noted that the junta did not pursue lèse majesté
charges against Thaksin because "the police corrupted the evidence", and delivered such a weak case that the attorney-general could not file a lawsuit. A vocal self-proclaimed royalist, he insisted that various groups actively tried to challenge the monarchy, and that he "couldn't stand it." He noted, "I am a soldier, born to protect the Crown. They could only challenge the monarchy over my dead body."
Saprang also suspected that Oliver Jufer, a Swiss man who was jailed for lèse majesté
for spraying paint on a portrait of image of King Bhumibol, was hired by somebody to perform his vandalism. Saprang ordered a military investigation into the matter. The results have not been made public.
regarding the 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings after Chavalit accused him of incompetence. Saprang claimed that "the evidence and intelligence information proves that the bombs were the dirty work of politicians who lost power and benefits. Bad soldiers loyal to bad politicians collaborated with them with the intention to topple this government." However, his claim was contradicted just an hour later by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont
.
In May 2007, Saprang claimed that he had information regarding the seizure of instructional manual on terrorism in Bangkok from a London apartment by English soldiers and police. He said he could not disclose any further information, but told the public to connect the dots themselves. Days later, a bomb exploded outside of Chitrlada Palace. Saprang later clarified his remark, saying the Bangkok terrorism manual discovery had been made in the early 1990s. Deputy Chief of the British Mission in Bangkok Andy Pierce said he was "concerned" by Saprang's remarks, which he insisted were "baseless".
in 28 February 2007. The Bangkok Post
reported that Pridiyathorn resigned in protest after a CNS member lobbied him to sell shares of IRPC (formerly known as Thai Petrochemical Industry) back to a former shareholder. The newspaper identified Saprang as the unnamed CNS member. Saprang's brother, Chienchuang, was a key financial advisor to Prachai Liaophairat, the estranged founder of TPI.
Chienchuang's relations with the junta came under further public scrutiny when it was revealed that he was hired by the junta in order to lead a campaign to discredit deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra
. Politicians hired as part of the CNS campaign included Chat Pattana party leader Korn Dabbaransi, Democrats Korn Chatikavanij
, Alongkorn Palabutr and Korbsak Sabavasu, Prapat Panya-chatraksa, a key Thai Rak Thai member who defected to the Chat Thai party, plus ex-senator Kraisak Choonhavan
. Academics hired by the CNS included Wuttipong Piebjriya-wat, Sophon Supapong
, Narong Phet-prasert, and Somkiat Osotspa.
(Thailand's most popular newspaper) on 8 April 2007, he called an unspecified enemy a "mad dog" who he claimed was destroying the monarchy. He said that it was necessary to shoot the dog with a machine gun. In the same interview, he threatened violent response to the "bold words that came from the mouths of evil people who did not know restraint". He urged decisive action, so that the public would believe that good had triumphed over evil.
, who, as 1st Army Area Commander, secured Bangkok on the night of the coup. The Bangkok Post reported in October 2006 that Sonthi was grooming Anupong to be his successor by giving him responsibilities over coup logistics, a greater task than had been assigned to Saprang. The Asia Times quoted a former MP as saying that "Anupong is seen as the real force behind the coup. Saprang is more vocal, but he has no real base. The only way he could be seen as a promising leader is by pushing the country to the brink."
In an interview, Saprang warned that "the three pillars of society - the nation, the religion and the monarchy - might crumble", if "If rogue politicians return to power following the next [post coup] general election."
Saprang also held the opinion that military coups against the government "should never be ruled out." The abrogated 1997 constitution
had outlawed coups. A replacement constitution
was, at the time of Saprang's statement, being drafted by a military appointed panel.
Saprang was sidelined in security plans preceding the Constitutional Tribunal's 20 May 2007 ruling on the dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai
and Democrat Parties
. After the 2006 coup, Sonthi had delegated the task of securing Bangkok to Saprang. The pre-ruling plan put Sonthi directly in charge of Bangkok crowd security, allying him with alum of AFPS Class 9, including Army Chief of Staff General Montri Sangkhasap and First Army Region commander Lt General Prayuth Chan-ocha.
Panitan Wattanayagorn, a military scholar at Chulalongkorn University
and a personal adviser to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont
noted in early September 2007 that "if the army is going to take a full step into politics, then it will be Saprang. If only a half-step, then Anupong. And if it intends to beat a full retreat or take one step back, it will be [Army chief of staff] Montri [Sangkhasap ]."
On 19 September 2007, Saprang's rival, Assistant Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda, was appointed as the new commander-in-chief of the Army, replacing the retiring General Sonthi. Anupong's mandatory retirement occurred 2010. Sonthi was, after resignation, appointed Deputy Prime Minister. Saprang was transferred to become Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense. Saprang's ally, Defence Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Admiral Bannawit Kengrien, called Saprang's transfer a "demotion" and a "punishment." However, Saprang himself claimed that he did not feel slighted for being passed over, noting that "everything is over" for him. Bannawit himself was later transferred from Defence Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary to be a Chief Adviser of the Ministry, replaced by Chief Advisor General Toosarat Muang-am. Bannawit denied that his own transfer was the result of his criticism of Saprang's transfer. Bannawit then announced that he would resign from the military and enter politics. There was also rampant speculation that Saprang himself would resign and enter politics. Although the Kyodo News Agency noted speculation that Saprang would stage a coup against Anupong, Saprang denied coup rumors, saying that another coup would be "suicide."
Sri and Phenkaew Kalayanamitr . Sri was the eldest of the 8 children of Phraya Sucharitraksa, ruler (Chao Muang) of the northern border city of Tak
.
The Kalayanamitrs are a military aristocratic family with Chinese (Hokkien
)-Northern Thai roots. Saprang's ancestor, Luang Phichai Waree (original name Ung Mang) migrated to Siam during the reign of King Taksin
plying the samphao trade, and was given a feudal title
during the reign of King Rama I.
Saprang has evoked his aristocratic background in order to increase his credibility in public confrontations. Saprang is married to Viphada and has 3 sons: Army Cadet Ekawee , Air Force Cadet Akharawat , Air Force Cadet Ekwarit .
Lampang Province
Lampang is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Sukhothai, Tak, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The old name of Lampang is Khelang Nakhon.-Geography:...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
) is a retired officer of the Royal Thai Army, Assistant Secretary-General of the Council for National Security, Commander of the junta
CNS
-Science and medicine:* Cell, Nature, and Science, the three most prestigious scientific journals involved in biomedical research* Central nervous system, brain and spinal cord* Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, a pelvic pain condition affecting men...
's 14,000-man anti-protest force, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Airports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited is a large Thai public company, which handles several national airports. Its headquarters are in Don Mueang District, Bangkok....
(AoT), and also Chairman of the Boards of TOT
TOT (Thailand)
TOT Public Company Limited is a Thai state-owned telecommunications company. Originally established in 1954 and corporatized in 2002, TOT used to be known as the Telephone Organization of Thailand and TOT Corporation Public Company Limited. TOT's main line of business is fixed line telephony,...
and CAT Telecom
CAT Telecom
CAT Telecom Public Company Limited is the state-owned company that runs Thailand’s international telecommunications infrastructure, including its international gateways, satellite, and submarine cable networks connections. As of February 2008, it had 5,562 employees.-Services:Until recently, CAT...
, two major Thai state-owned telecommunication companies.
Saprang grew up in an aristocratic military family and graduated from the 7th Class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and the 18th Class of the 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:...
. He served for nearly three decades in the Army cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
corp, and was promoted to 3rd Army Region Commander in 2005. He was a key leader of the September 2006 coup that overthrew the 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....
.
Saprang is one of the fiercest critics of 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....
, calling him a "traitor" and claiming that he should be "banished to live forever in the jungle." Upon appointment to chair Airports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited is a large Thai public company, which handles several national airports. Its headquarters are in Don Mueang District, Bangkok....
and TOT
TOT (Thailand)
TOT Public Company Limited is a Thai state-owned telecommunications company. Originally established in 1954 and corporatized in 2002, TOT used to be known as the Telephone Organization of Thailand and TOT Corporation Public Company Limited. TOT's main line of business is fixed line telephony,...
, he purged the management, initiated investigations into the overthrown government, and donated 200 million baht of the agency's funds to the Army. He fired the President of TOT for questioning an 800 million baht donation that the agency made to the Army. As head of CAT Telecom, he was accused of blocking attempts to launch People's Television
People's Television
People's Television was a Thai satellite television station. It was established by former executives of the Thai Rak Thai party after the 2006 Thailand military coup overthrew the Thai Rak Thai-led government. It launched despite warnings from the Council for National Security, the military...
, a new television station founded by ex-leaders of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai
Thai Rak Thai
The Thai Rak Thai Party was a Thai political party that was officially banned on May 30, 2007, by the Constitutional Court of Thailand due to violations of electoral laws during the 2006 legislative elections. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under Prime Minister and its founder Thaksin...
party.
Saprang was considered one of the top contenders to lead the army and the junta after CNS-leader Sonthi Boonyaratkalin's mandatory retirement in 2007. However, in September 2007 he was demoted to be Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Defense Ministry, while his rival, General Anupong Paochinda, was promoted to lead the Army. As a result, Saprang retired from the Army in 2010.
Education
Born 8 July 1948 in LampangLampang Province
Lampang is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Sukhothai, Tak, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The old name of Lampang is Khelang Nakhon.-Geography:...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Saprang graduated from the 7th Class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (AFAPS) and the 18th Class of the 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:...
. His classmates included General Paisan Katanyu (appointed Deputy Army Commander after the coup), Admiral Bannawit Kengrien (appointed to the National Legislative Assembly after the coup, and leader of its Suvarnabhumi Airport committee), and General Lertrat Rattavanich. He later graduated from the 43rd class of 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...
in 2001. His NDC thesis concerned the role of military forces in the control of illegal narcotics. His NDC classmates included Kraisi Karnasuta, governor of state energy company EGAT
Égat
Égat is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
.
Early career
Saprang started his military career in 1969 as Rifle PlatoonPlatoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
Leader in the 3rd Infantry Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, 4th Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
al Combat Team. He claims to have fought 200 battles during the course of his military career.
He was appointed Commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 4th Infantry Regiment in 1982, stationed in Nakhonsawan (on the northwestern border with Burma). In 1985, he became Commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion in the 19th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Surasee Fort, Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi Province
- History :Archaeology found in Kanchanaburi dates back to the 4th century which proves of trade with surrounding countries even in that time. Very little is also historically known about the actual Khmer influence in Kanchanaburi but there is evidence of their occupation with Prasat Muang Singh –...
(on the western border with Burma).
He was then promoted to be Regimental Commanding Officer of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School in 1990. In 1991, he began a six year stint as Regimental Commanding Officer of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.
In April 1997, Saprang was shortly transferred to the Ministry of Defense as a staff officer, before being promoted in October 1997 to Commanding General of the 15th Infantry Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, at the time stationed in Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Prachuap Khiri Khan is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phetchaburi in the north and Chumphon in the south. To the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar....
. In 2003, he was promoted to 3rd Corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
Commander. In 2004, it was strongly rumored that Saprang might be promoted to command the 4th Army, replacing General Pongsak Ekbannasingh. General Pongsak had been criticized for ineffectually fighting the South Thailand insurgency
South Thailand insurgency
An ethnic separatist insurgency is taking place in Southern Thailand, predominantly in the Malay Pattani region, made up of the three southernmost provinces of Thailand. Violence has increasingly spilling over into other provinces...
, after 39 successful arson attacks occurred in just one night. Pongsak ended up being replaced in April 2004 by Pisarn Wattanawongkhiri.
2006 Coup
In a surprise to many observers, Saprang was promoted to 3rd Army Area Commander in October 2005, headquartered in PhitsanulokPhitsanulok
Phitsanulok is an important and historic city in lower northern Thailand and is the capital of Phitsanulok Province, which stretches all the way to the Laotian border. Phitsanulok is one of the oldest cities in Thailand, founded over 600 years ago...
and responsible most of northern
Northern Thailand
Thailand's northern region is geographically characterised by multiple mountain ranges which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar and Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them...
and northeastern Thailand. Analysts had expected Prime Minister Thaksin to promote his own classmates from AFAPS Class 10 to the powerful position instead. At the same time, also in a surprise move, Deputy Army Commander Sonthi Boonyaratkalin was promoted to Army Commander.
Saprang and Sonthi started planning for the coup 7 to 8 months in advance, in approximately February 2006. Coup planning occurred prior to the April 2006 elections, during Thaksin's controversial sale of Shin Corporation
Shin Corporation
Shin Corporation is one of the largest conglomerates in Thailand.- History :It was founded in 1983 as Shinawatra Computer by Thaksin Shinawatra, former Prime Minister of Thailand, and took on its current name in 1999, by using the first four letters of his last name...
to Temasek Holdings
Temasek Holdings
Temasek Holdings is an investment company owned by the government of Singapore. With an international staff of 380 people, it manages a portfolio of about S$193 billion at end of March 2011, focused primarily in Asia...
and the peak of the People's Alliance for Democracy
People's Alliance for Democracy
The People's Alliance for Democracy also called the National Liberation Alliance - กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ, Thai Patriots Network or the Yellow Shirts - เสื้อเหลือง - was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand. Its leaders include...
's campaign to oust the government. In July 2006, Saprang gave an interview where he stated that Thai politics was below standard and that the Kingdom's leadership was weak. He also claimed that Thailand had a false democracy. He denied that such criticism constituted military interference in politics. At the same time, the Thai media speculated that in the October 2006 annual Army reshuffle, Saprang would not be promoted to Assistant Army Commander and would not be allowed to retain his position of 3rd Army Area Commander. In July, Saprang's own Deputy Commander in the 3rd Army Area, Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Manas Paorik, warned the media that "a certain military officer who aspires to become Assistant Army Commander" was planning a coup.
In the weeks leading up to coup, Saprang openly mobilised soldiers and northern residents to rebel against the government. Saprang played a key role on the evening of 19 September 2006, securing Thaksin's home town and power base of Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
. That same night, he was appointed assistant Secretary-General of the CNS. The coup was executed just a week before the announcement of the Army's annual reshuffle.
After the 2006 coup
A week after the coup, Saprang was promoted to Assistant Army Commander, alongside fellow coup leader Anupong PaochindaAnupong Paochinda
General Anupong Paochinda is a former Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army. He held the position from 2007 until his retirement on 30 September 2010....
. His predecessor, General Pornchai Kranlert, had not taken part in the coup and was transferred to an inactive position. Saprang was also promoted from Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
to General.
CNS Special Operations Center
In 27 December 2006, it was revealed that the Cabinet had approved over half a billion baht worth of funding for a 14,000-man secret anti-protest special operations force, of which General Saprang was Commander. The so-called CNS Special Operations Center, funded with 556 million baht diverted from the Defense Ministry, Police Office, and government emergency reserve fund, had been secretly established by the CNS on 1 December 2006 in order to control protests.TOT and CAT Telecom
Saprang was appointed by the junta to become Chairman of the Board of Directors of Airports of ThailandAirports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited is a large Thai public company, which handles several national airports. Its headquarters are in Don Mueang District, Bangkok....
(AoT) and also Chairman of the Boards of TOT
TOT (Thailand)
TOT Public Company Limited is a Thai state-owned telecommunications company. Originally established in 1954 and corporatized in 2002, TOT used to be known as the Telephone Organization of Thailand and TOT Corporation Public Company Limited. TOT's main line of business is fixed line telephony,...
and CAT Telecom
CAT Telecom
CAT Telecom Public Company Limited is the state-owned company that runs Thailand’s international telecommunications infrastructure, including its international gateways, satellite, and submarine cable networks connections. As of February 2008, it had 5,562 employees.-Services:Until recently, CAT...
, two major state-owned telecommunication companies. Saprang's first move as TOT Chairman was to hand-pick three Army colonels and vocal Thaksin-critic Vuthiphong Priebjrivat to sit on the state enterprise's Board of Directors. Saprang transferred TOT President Somkuan Bruminhent to an inactive position and appointed Vuthiphong new President. He then hand-picked all 10 other directors.
Saprang noted in an interview that, "if telecommunication businesses are in private hands, the country won't be safe." The junta had earlier announced plans to cancel the initial public offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
of both TOT and CAT Telecom and to merge the two state enterprises.
Under Saprang's leadership, TOT reaffirmed its ownership rights to all existing backbone telecommunications networks under a new strategy to act as a "genuine" national telecom company. The new strategy was expected to increase political and business tensions. Under the Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO) concession agreements that TOT signed with private telecom operators, the TOT technically owns all fixed-line, mobile, and optical fibre networks in Thailand. However, it had never exercised those rights in the past.
Vuthiphong was fired from the TOT board and his position of acting TOT President in June 2007. He immediately accused the Army of using the TOT as an unmonitored slush fund
Slush fund
A slush fund, colloquially, is an auxiliary monetary account or a reserve fund. However, in the context of corrupt dealings, such as those by governments or large corporations, a slush fund can have particular connotations of illegality, illegitimacy, or secrecy in regard to the use of this money...
. He claimed that an unnamed Army unit had requested that TOT buy it 800 million baht worth of electronic equipment. Upon receiving the request, Vuthipong demanded to know why neither the Army nor the Defence Ministry used their own secret budgets to purchase the equipment, and why an internal Army unit, rather than the Kingdom's main national security organisations, had made the request. Saprang denied that there was any lack of transparency in the request for financial support. Vuthipong claimed that the equipment should only have cost 30 million baht, not 800 million baht. He was fired and expelled from the Board soon after refusing to sign off on the deal. The Board later appointed Col. Natee Sukolrat as the new TOT President and accepted the army's donation request.
Under his leadership, TOT's performance dropped. Revenues for the first half of 2007 fell 13% year-on-year, while net profit
Net profit
Net profit or net revenue is a measure of the profitability of a venture after accounting for all costs. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 91 percent responded that they found the "net profit" metric very useful...
fell 36.1%. Fixed line revenue dropped 16%, while public telephone and international call revenue by 30% each.
As Chairman of CAT Telecom, Saprang was accused by the founders of People's Television
People's Television
People's Television was a Thai satellite television station. It was established by former executives of the Thai Rak Thai party after the 2006 Thailand military coup overthrew the Thai Rak Thai-led government. It launched despite warnings from the Council for National Security, the military...
(PTV), a new satellite television station, of being behind CAT Telecom's refusal to grant an internet link from Bangkok to a satellite up-link station in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. PTV was established by several ex-executives of the Thai Rak Thai
Thai Rak Thai
The Thai Rak Thai Party was a Thai political party that was officially banned on May 30, 2007, by the Constitutional Court of Thailand due to violations of electoral laws during the 2006 legislative elections. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under Prime Minister and its founder Thaksin...
party. CAT Telecom claimed that it never received PTV's application for internet access.
Under Saprang's leadership, 80,000 subscribers of Thai Mobile, a TOT/CAT joint venture mobile phone operator, were cut off temporarily in early May 2007 when owners TOT and CAT Telecom failed to pay the bills of a major supplier. Thai Mobile had accumulated significant losses and the company was not able to make its debt payments or supplier payments. The partners had stopped payments to the supplier, Samart Corporation, for nearly a year, until Samart threatened to suspend services within three days. After no payment, it delivered on its threat. TOT was subsequently able to negotiate with Samart to restart the service.
Purging of AoT management
A week after Saprang hinted at a reshuffle of AoT top management, AoT President Chotisak Asapaviriya was forced to resign, citing health reasons, while the Directors of Suvarnabhumi AirportSuvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport , also known as Bangkok International Airport, is an international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened for limited domestic flight service on 15 September 2006, and opened for most domestic and all international commercial flights on 28 September...
and AoT Commercial Operations were dismissed. Police Commissioner General Seripisut Temiyavej was appointed as an AoT Director.
Suvarnabhumi Airport
As AoT Chairman, Saprang spearheaded an effort to reopen Don Muang Airport in parallel with the newly opened Suvarnabhumi AirportSuvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport , also known as Bangkok International Airport, is an international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened for limited domestic flight service on 15 September 2006, and opened for most domestic and all international commercial flights on 28 September...
, despite objections from the Civil Aviation Department, airlines, and internal studies within Airports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand
Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited is a large Thai public company, which handles several national airports. Its headquarters are in Don Mueang District, Bangkok....
. 60 airlines threatened to halt flights to Thailand if they were forced to move back to Don Muang airport.
Saprang also refused to authorize urgent repairs on the airport tarmac, despite warnings from engineers. Karun Chandrarangsu, president of the Engineering Institute of Thailand noted, "Suvarnabhumi is like a patient in a coma who continues to suffer from severe bleeding. Stopping the blood flow now is more urgent and important than debating what caused the injury." The Engineering Institute of Thailand sent a formal warning to AoT in November 2006 about the urgent need to drain water from beneath the tarmac, and noted that immediate action should be taken. "The AOT did nothing about the problem", Suebsak Promboon of the EIT noted. "The situation might not have become this bad if the water had been drained then." Suebsak Promboon, a senior foundation engineer and a member of the Tortrakul Yomnak-led airport tarmac inspection panel, accused the AOT of refusing to take any actions to solve the problems at the airport.
The airport faced ongoing operational challenges, including a computer virus that shut down the automated luggage bomb-scanning system in June 2007. A study by the International Air Transport Association
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
(IATA) released in July 2007 found the airport unsafe, citing numerous spots where checked passengers can meet people who have not passed through security checkpoints.
Serious security gaps at Suvarnabhumi Airport became known to the public beginning in early 2007. The International Air Transport Association
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
(IATA) found that there were many spots in the passenger terminal where checked passengers can meet people who have not passed through security checks and could receive unchecked objects and then carry them on board aircraft. The IATA also suggested that AoT deploy its own security staff instead of contracting out the job to the Loxley-ICTS consortium. AoT threatened the consortium with contract termination, but didn't follow through with its threat, even though the consortium failed to live up to its contract. Six months later, AoT stated that it still couldn't make up its mind on how it should improve airport security. AoT said it was open to all possible options, and has taken no action to upgrade the problem.
Trip to Europe
On Tuesday 27 February 2007, Saprang led a 13 member delegation to Europe, on what was claimed to be a week-long trip to study safety and security measures at major European airports. Many delegates and accompanying members shared the same surnameSurname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
, and the trip, which cost 7.2 million baht was attacked for "squandering" state funds for personal pleasure, disbursing unrealistic expenses, and inflating costs. The travel agent along received a 500,000 baht commission fee for booking the trip. Saprang denied any wrongdoing and claimed he was the victim of a smear campaign. He also noted that "If you knew my character, you would know that even if a relative joined the trip he should have realised that he should work hard." He also noted that instead of being a viewed as a defendant, he should be viewed as a hero for bringing down the Thaksin government. Saprang then summoned the leader of the AoT labor union in order to identify who leaked information about the trip to his accusers.
Financial performance
The first quarter after Saprang was appointed Chairman, AoT profits plunged 90% compared to the previous year, despite higher traffic volumes and increased passenger service charters and airline fees. Operating expenses surged 137%, contributing to the AoT's worst quarterly earnings report since it was listed on the Stock Exchange of ThailandStock Exchange of Thailand
The Stock Exchange of Thailand is the national stock exchange of Thailand. It is located in Bangkok. As of 31 December 2007, the Stock Exchange of Thailand had 541 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of $280 billion. The indices of the stock exchange are SET Index, SET50 Index...
.
The AoT board also granted 200 million baht to the Army, which had requested a financial donation. AoT also lended some of its explosives detectors to the Army for use in the South Thailand insurrection.
Financial performance continued to spiral downwards in the 3rd quarter of 2007. Net profit for the period ending June fell by 84% from a year before, despite higher traffic and a 17.9% increase in revenue. The fall in profit was attributed to AoT's court case against King Power, the operator of duty-free shops within Suvarnabhumi Airport. King Power's concession was suspended while the case was in court, forcing AOT to stop reporting earnings from the concessionaire.
Thaksin Shinawatra
Saprang had long been a fierce critic of Thaksin ShinawatraThaksin 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....
, and prior to the coup had even called Thaksin's supporters within the military "evil." After the coup, Saprang called Thaksin a "traitor" and said that he should be "banished to live forever in the jungle."
He also accused Thaksin of spying on the military while he was Prime Minister.
Although Saprang and General Sonthi accused Thaksin of insulting and disrespecting King Bhumibol, he noted that the junta did not pursue lèse majesté
Lèse majesté
Lese-majesty is the crime of violating majesty, an offence against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.This behavior was first classified as a criminal offence against the dignity of the Roman republic in Ancient Rome...
charges against Thaksin because "the police corrupted the evidence", and delivered such a weak case that the attorney-general could not file a lawsuit. A vocal self-proclaimed royalist, he insisted that various groups actively tried to challenge the monarchy, and that he "couldn't stand it." He noted, "I am a soldier, born to protect the Crown. They could only challenge the monarchy over my dead body."
Saprang also suspected that Oliver Jufer, a Swiss man who was jailed for lèse majesté
Lèse majesté
Lese-majesty is the crime of violating majesty, an offence against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.This behavior was first classified as a criminal offence against the dignity of the Roman republic in Ancient Rome...
for spraying paint on a portrait of image of King Bhumibol, was hired by somebody to perform his vandalism. Saprang ordered a military investigation into the matter. The results have not been made public.
2007 New Years bombings
Saprang had a public confrontation with former Prime Minister Chavalit YongchaiyudhChavalit 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....
regarding the 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings after Chavalit accused him of incompetence. Saprang claimed that "the evidence and intelligence information proves that the bombs were the dirty work of politicians who lost power and benefits. Bad soldiers loyal to bad politicians collaborated with them with the intention to topple this government." However, his claim was contradicted just an hour later by Prime Minister 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...
.
In May 2007, Saprang claimed that he had information regarding the seizure of instructional manual on terrorism in Bangkok from a London apartment by English soldiers and police. He said he could not disclose any further information, but told the public to connect the dots themselves. Days later, a bomb exploded outside of Chitrlada Palace. Saprang later clarified his remark, saying the Bangkok terrorism manual discovery had been made in the early 1990s. Deputy Chief of the British Mission in Bangkok Andy Pierce said he was "concerned" by Saprang's remarks, which he insisted were "baseless".
Resignation of Pridiyathorn Devakula
Saprang was implicated in the resignation of Finance Minister Pridiyathorn DevakulaPridiyathorn Devakula
Mom Rajawongse Pridiyathorn Devakula served as Minister of Finance in Thailand's interim civilian government. Before being named to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, Pridiyathorn had served as Governor of the Bank of Thailand since 2001...
in 28 February 2007. The Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
The Bangkok Post is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. The first issue was sold on August 1, 1946. It had four pages and cost 1 baht, a considerable amount at the time....
reported that Pridiyathorn resigned in protest after a CNS member lobbied him to sell shares of IRPC (formerly known as Thai Petrochemical Industry) back to a former shareholder. The newspaper identified Saprang as the unnamed CNS member. Saprang's brother, Chienchuang, was a key financial advisor to Prachai Liaophairat, the estranged founder of TPI.
Chienchuang's relations with the junta came under further public scrutiny when it was revealed that he was hired by the junta in order to lead a campaign to discredit deposed premier 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....
. Politicians hired as part of the CNS campaign included Chat Pattana party leader Korn Dabbaransi, Democrats Korn Chatikavanij
Korn Chatikavanij
Korn Chatikavanij is a Thai Democrat Party politician and former investment banker. He was Finance Minister under Abhisit Vejjajiva.-Early life:...
, Alongkorn Palabutr and Korbsak Sabavasu, Prapat Panya-chatraksa, a key Thai Rak Thai member who defected to the Chat Thai party, plus ex-senator Kraisak Choonhavan
Kraisak Choonhavan
Kraisak Choonhavan is a Thai politician. He was a member of the Senate for Nakhon Ratchasima Province from 2000 till 2006.Born as son of former prime minister General Chatichai Choonhavan and Than Phu Ying Bunruen Choonhavan, Kraisak received a Bachelor Degree in International Relations at the...
. Academics hired by the CNS included Wuttipong Piebjriya-wat, Sophon Supapong
Sophon Supapong
Sophon Supapong is a former Senator for Bangkok in the National Assembly of Thailand and the former President of Bangchak Petroleum.In 2005, Sophon accused the United States of being the mastermind behind bombings in the South Thailand insurgency...
, Narong Phet-prasert, and Somkiat Osotspa.
Mad dogs and machine guns
Saprang was an extremely vocal critic of those who he perceived as his political opponents. In an interview with Thai RathThai Rath
Thai Rath is a Thai-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok and distributed nationwide. The paper is a broadsheet published with two sections. The first section is devoted to news. Although the news section is best known for its sensationalist coverage of crime and accidents, it also...
(Thailand's most popular newspaper) on 8 April 2007, he called an unspecified enemy a "mad dog" who he claimed was destroying the monarchy. He said that it was necessary to shoot the dog with a machine gun. In the same interview, he threatened violent response to the "bold words that came from the mouths of evil people who did not know restraint". He urged decisive action, so that the public would believe that good had triumphed over evil.
Post-coup role
Saprang was considered a strong contender to lead the junta given the mandatory retirement of Army commander-in-chief and CNS President Sonthi Boonyaratkalin in September 2007. He unofficially competed with fellow Assistant Army Commander Anupong PaochindaAnupong Paochinda
General Anupong Paochinda is a former Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army. He held the position from 2007 until his retirement on 30 September 2010....
, who, as 1st Army Area Commander, secured Bangkok on the night of the coup. The Bangkok Post reported in October 2006 that Sonthi was grooming Anupong to be his successor by giving him responsibilities over coup logistics, a greater task than had been assigned to Saprang. The Asia Times quoted a former MP as saying that "Anupong is seen as the real force behind the coup. Saprang is more vocal, but he has no real base. The only way he could be seen as a promising leader is by pushing the country to the brink."
In an interview, Saprang warned that "the three pillars of society - the nation, the religion and the monarchy - might crumble", if "If rogue politicians return to power following the next [post coup] general election."
Saprang also held the opinion that military coups against the government "should never be ruled out." The abrogated 1997 constitution
1997 Constitution of Thailand
For legal and historical context, see the Constitutions of Thailand articlethumb|275px|Bangkok's [[Democracy Monument, Bangkok|Democracy Monument]]: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret....
had outlawed coups. A replacement constitution
2007 Constitution of Thailand
A Permanent Constitution for the Kingdom of Thailand was drafted by a committee established by the military junta that abrogated the previous 1997 Constitution. On August 19, 2007, a referendum was held in which 59.3% of the voters voted in favor of the constitution...
was, at the time of Saprang's statement, being drafted by a military appointed panel.
Saprang was sidelined in security plans preceding the Constitutional Tribunal's 20 May 2007 ruling on the dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai
Thai Rak Thai
The Thai Rak Thai Party was a Thai political party that was officially banned on May 30, 2007, by the Constitutional Court of Thailand due to violations of electoral laws during the 2006 legislative elections. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under Prime Minister and its founder Thaksin...
and Democrat Parties
Democrat Party (Thailand)
The Democrat Party is Thailand's oldest political party and was the main coalition government party of the 23rd House of Representatives of Thailand. The Democrat Party's current leader is Abhisit Vejjajiva, incumbent opposition leader and former Prime Minister. The party upholds a conservative...
. After the 2006 coup, Sonthi had delegated the task of securing Bangkok to Saprang. The pre-ruling plan put Sonthi directly in charge of Bangkok crowd security, allying him with alum of AFPS Class 9, including Army Chief of Staff General Montri Sangkhasap and First Army Region commander Lt General Prayuth Chan-ocha.
Panitan Wattanayagorn, a military scholar at Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country...
and a personal adviser to Prime Minister 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...
noted in early September 2007 that "if the army is going to take a full step into politics, then it will be Saprang. If only a half-step, then Anupong. And if it intends to beat a full retreat or take one step back, it will be [Army chief of staff] Montri [Sangkhasap ]."
On 19 September 2007, Saprang's rival, Assistant Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda, was appointed as the new commander-in-chief of the Army, replacing the retiring General Sonthi. Anupong's mandatory retirement occurred 2010. Sonthi was, after resignation, appointed Deputy Prime Minister. Saprang was transferred to become Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense. Saprang's ally, Defence Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Admiral Bannawit Kengrien, called Saprang's transfer a "demotion" and a "punishment." However, Saprang himself claimed that he did not feel slighted for being passed over, noting that "everything is over" for him. Bannawit himself was later transferred from Defence Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary to be a Chief Adviser of the Ministry, replaced by Chief Advisor General Toosarat Muang-am. Bannawit denied that his own transfer was the result of his criticism of Saprang's transfer. Bannawit then announced that he would resign from the military and enter politics. There was also rampant speculation that Saprang himself would resign and enter politics. Although the Kyodo News Agency noted speculation that Saprang would stage a coup against Anupong, Saprang denied coup rumors, saying that another coup would be "suicide."
Family
Saprang is the youngest of 9 children of Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Sri and Phenkaew Kalayanamitr . Sri was the eldest of the 8 children of Phraya Sucharitraksa, ruler (Chao Muang) of the northern border city of Tak
Tak Province
Tak is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani and Kanchanaburi...
.
The Kalayanamitrs are a military aristocratic family with Chinese (Hokkien
Hoklo people
The Hoklo people are Han Chinese people whose traditional Ancestral homes are in southern Fujian of South China...
)-Northern Thai roots. Saprang's ancestor, Luang Phichai Waree (original name Ung Mang) migrated to Siam during the reign of King Taksin
Taksin
Taksin ; was the only King of the Thonburi Kingdom...
plying the samphao trade, and was given a feudal title
Thai royal and noble titles
Thai royal and noble titles are the royal and noble styles signifying relationship to the King introduced by King Trailokanat, who reigned 1448 to 1488. The system is rooted in the Thai language equivalent of feudalism, .It is somewhat similar to that of peerage, but is complicated and usually not...
during the reign of King Rama I.
Saprang has evoked his aristocratic background in order to increase his credibility in public confrontations. Saprang is married to Viphada and has 3 sons: Army Cadet Ekawee , Air Force Cadet Akharawat , Air Force Cadet Ekwarit .
See also
- Sonthi Boonyaratkalin
- Council for National Security
- Surayud ChulanontSurayud ChulanontGeneral 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...
- 2006 Thailand coup
- Wat KalayanamitrWat KalayanamitrWat Kalayanamitr Varamahavihara is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. The temple is located in Wat Kanlaya sub-district, on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple was established in 1825 by Chaophraya Nikonbodin , who donated the temple to Rama III...
, one of the Kalayanamitr family's three temples