Anupong Paochinda

General Anupong Paochinda อนุพงษ์ เผ่าจินดา
Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army
In office 1 October 2007 – 30 September 2010
Prime Minister	Surayud Chulanont Samak Sundaravej Somchai Wongsawat Abhisit Vejjajiva
Preceded by	Sonthi Boonyaratglin
Succeeded by	Prayuth Chan-ocha
Minister of Interior
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 August 2014
Prime Minister	Prayuth Chan-ocha
Preceded by	Charupong Ruangsuwan
Personal details
Born	(1949-10-10) 10 October 1949 Bangkok, Thailand
Nationality	Thai
Spouse(s)	Kunlaya Paochinda
Religion	Buddhism
Military service
Allegiance	Thailand
Service/branch	Royal Thai Army
Years of service	1967 - 2010
Rank	General

General Anupong Paochinda (Thai: อนุพงษ์ เผ่าจินดา; rtgs: Anuphong Phaochinda; born October 10, 1949) is a Thai retired army officer. He held the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army from 2007 until his retirement on 30 September 2010.

While a Lieutenant General holding the position of 1st Army Region 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.

After another coup d'état in 2014, Anupong became an advisor to the junta which calls itself "National Council for Peace and Order" (NCPO), and in August 2014 minister of interior in General Prayuth Chan-ocha's post-coup government.

Life

Anupong completed a primary education from Bangkok'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 in 1967 (Class 10, meaning that he was a classmate of Prime Minister-to-be Thaksin Shinawatra^[1]) and from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in 1972 (Class 21), as well as a degree of political science from Ramkhamhaeng University in 1993, and a master's degree from the National Defence College of Thailand's Class 26 of Thailand's National Institute of Development Administration in 2004, respectively.

Anupong is married to Kunlaya Paochinda (Thai: กุลยา เผ่าจินดา). They have two children, Yutthaphong Paochinda (Thai: ยุทธพงษ์ เผ่าจินดา) and Wimalin Paochinda (Thai: วิมลิน เผ่าจินดา).

Anupong has been appointed to many military offices, including inter alia, commandant of the 21st Infantry Regiment (Queen's Guard), commandant of the 1st Army Division, deputy commander and commander of the 1st Army Region. 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 on 1 October of the same year. He succeeded coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin.

Like his direct successor General Prayuth and former defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan, Anupong is a member of the "Eastern Tigers" clique within the army. Most of them have—like Anupong—started their career in the 2nd infantry division (with quarters in Eastern Thailand), especially in the 21st infantry regiment (Queen's Guards).^[1][2][3]

On 2 October 2008, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, following a civil insurgency of the People's Alliance for Democracy ("Yellow Shirts") demanding his resignation or impeachment, imposed a state of emergency throughout Bangkok Metropolis and appointed Anupong as the leader of the officers in charge of the state of emergency. After the Constitutional Court verdict dissolving the People's Power Party and two of its coalition parties, Anupong reportedly led behind-closed-doors meetings, convincing Newin Chidchob's Bhumjaithai Party to desert the government coalition, and organising a new parliamentary majority led by the Democrat Party and Abhisit Vejjajiva.^[4][5]

On 14 January 2010, Anupong ordered the suspension of Major General Khattiya Sawasdipol, the controversial "Seh Daeng", after an inquiry committee found that Khattiya had publicly proclaimed his loyalty to the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship ("Red Shirts"), a political pressure group supporting Thaksin Shinawatra, breaching military discipline.^[6] 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 was slightly damaged.^[7] During the 2010 "Red Shirts" uprising, the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva appointed General Anupong chief officer of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES), in charge of restoring law and order. Thus he was responsible for the bloody military crackdown on the protest movement in mid-May 2010.^[8]

Anupong retired on 30 September 2010. He was succeeded by General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

After the 22 May 2014 coup d'état, the junta—led by General Prayuth—appointed Anupong member of its "advisory board" overseeing security issues.^[9] Three months later, on 30 August, he was appointed minister of interior in Gerneral Prayuth's military-dominated government.^[10]

Notes

References

• Post Today. (2008, 3 September). Anupong say 'Stop this civil war.' Extra page 2.
• Thai Rath. (2010, 21 January). Army Commander's office at the RTA Headquarters bombed. [Online]. Available: <click>. (Accessed: 21 January 2010).
• The Nation. (2010, 14 January). Khattiya to cease his activities. [Online]. Available: <click>. (Accessed: 21 January 2010).
• The Royal Thai Army. (n.d.). Short Biography of General Anupong Paochinda. [Online]. Available: <click>. (Accessed: 4 September 2008).

See also

• 2008 Thai political crisis
• 2006 Thai coup d'état
• Council for Democratic Reform
• Council for National Security