Sonthi Boonyaratglin
Encyclopedia
General Sonthi Boonyaratglin (born 2 October 1946) is former Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army and former head of the Council for National Security, the military junta that ruled the kingdom. He is the first Muslim
in charge of the mostly Buddhist army. On 19 September 2006, he became the de facto
head of government of Thailand
after overthrowing the elected government in a coup d'état
. After retiring from the Army in 2007, he became Deputy Prime Minister, in charge of national security.
Sonthi is a multimillionaire and has two wives, Sukanya and Piyada, despite legal prohibitions against bigamy
.
. He graduated from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
in 1969 as part of Class 17 and was commissioned into the Royal Army Infantry Corps. He went on to lead several top units, including the elite Special Warfare Command based in Lopburi
province.
In August 2004, Sonthi was appointed Deputy Army Commander. Against public expectations, Sonthi was promoted to Army Commander in October 2005. Sonthi's fast rise was backed by retired armed forces Supreme Commander General Surayud Chulanont
(with whom he had served while leading the Special Warfare Command) and Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda
. Both serve as advisers to King Bhumibol Adulyadej
.
, although he has said that "His Majesty must have been saddened" by the nation's political problems
. He has also protested Thaksin's unsuccessful attempt to promote a large number of his own former classmates from Class 10 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School
to army units responsible for Bangkok's security.
The 2006 annual military reshuffle was delayed due to the political crisis, as caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
denied that he planned to remove Sonthi as Army Commander. Despite this, Sonthi consolidating his personal power base by transferring out 129 mid-ranking officers under generals that he thought were loyal to the Prime Minister. Some observers saw this as a message to the Government that Sonthi was still firmly in charge of the Army.
As late as May 2006, Sonthi publicly denied the need for a military coup:
. However, up to 19 September 2006, the Army admitted that they had no idea who the insurgents were. The drastic escalation of the insurgency during his leadership of the Army led to much public criticism of Army efforts.
While assigned to the South, Sonthi suggested that former communist insurgents might be playing a role in the unrest. Leaders of the southern provinces displayed skepticism over his suggestion and investigations did not reveal any communist link.
Sonthi was also blamed for failing to rescue two teachers who had been severely beaten by a mob in May 2006. One of them, Juling Pangamoon, is still in a coma and attracted fame for being the focus of attention from the royal family of Thailand.
On August 2006 after 22 commercial banks were simultaneously bombed in Yala province
, Sonthi announced that he would break with government policy and negotiate with the leaders of the insurgency. However, he noted that "We still don't know who is the real head of the militants we are fighting with." In a press conference the next day, he attacked the government for criticizing him for trying to negotiate with the anonymous insurgents, and demanded that the government "Free the military and let it do the job." Afterwards, insurgents bombed 6 department stores
in Hat Yai
city, which up until then had been free of insurgent activities. As always, the identity of the insurgents was not revealed. On 8 September, Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya promised to give Sonthi increased powers to better deal with the insurgency. However, by 19 September 2006, the Army admitted that it still was unsure who to negotiate with.
Three days later, Sonthi led a coup against the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
. Sonthi's former superiors, Deputy Prime Minister for national security Chidchai Vanasatidya and Defense Minister Thammarak Isaragura na Ayuthaya
were immediately arrested and have been detained ever since.
Despite escalating violence, in May 2007 Sonthi started withdrawing troops from the South, replacing them with territorial defence volunteers. He did not say why the regular army was to be reduced in the South.
, leader of the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy
(PAD), personally met Sonthi to request that the military intervene in the crisis. Afterwards, Sondhi claimed that Sonthi listened to him attentively and promised to consider his request. Sonthi later claimed that he was misled into receiving Sondhi, and had no intention to endorse the anti-government activists.
On 19 September 2006, Sonthi and other military leaders launched a military coup against the government of Thaksin Shinawatra
. The coup-makers originally called themselves the Council for Democratic Reform. Tanks surrounded Government House in Bangkok
and the military took over all broadcast media. Thaksin declared a state of emergency from New York City
(where he had been attending a meeting of the United Nations
), but his broadcast was cut in mid-sentence when the military seized the television station.
Sonthi dissolved Cabinet, Parliament, and the Constitutional Court, and temporarily gave himself powers equivalent to Prime Minister. He declared that the council would hand over power in two weeks. On the second day of the coup, he received a formal mandate from King Bhumibol Adulyadej
.
General Sonthi later said in an interview that the coup was originally planned for 20 September, to coincide with a major anti-Thaksin rally also planned for that day. He cited the "Portuguese example
" in which anti-government rallies coincided with a successful military rebellion which overthrew King Manuel II of Portugal
and established the Portuguese First Republic
. The coup was moved up to 19 September, when Thaksin was still in New York. Sonthi also stated that the coup was not an urgent measure mooted just a couple of days earlier. Sonthi also claimed that during a lunch that Thaksin had with the commanders of the armed forces, Thaksin had asked him "Will you stage a coup?" Sonthi replied: "I will." This contradicted earlier public statements where he denied that the military would stage a coup. He also revealed that as early as his 11 September visit to Myanmar
, he had been wary of his personal safety. During flight, he carried a concealed pistol and sat next to the entrance to the cockpit.
Sonthi and other junta leaders flew to Chiang Mai on an Air Force C-130 on 3 November 2006 to visit a prominent fortune-teller and perform a religious ceremony to ward off bad luck over their staging of the coup. The fortune teller, Varin Buaviratlert, had been Sonthi's long-time personal fortune-teller, and had foretold Sonthi's rise to become Army Commander. Amid falling popularity, Sonthi sent his wife and several CNS leaders to visit her on 1 April 2007.
Sonthi completely purged the military of all senior officers perceived as loyal to the Thaksin government, replacing them with officers that he personally trusted.
being drafted by the CNS's drafting body. These included:
He also made several suggestions, including:
Sonthi later denied dictating the content for the new constitution, but stated "We can't force them to do things but responsible people will know what the constitution should look like."
He also suggested that the term in office of village heads and kamnan
be increased from 5 years to 10 years, while the role of elected tambon
administrative organisations be reduced.
sold his shares in telecom firm Shin Corp to Temasek Holdings
. The sale also transferred control of Shin Corp's five satellites (including IPSTAR, the world's largest commercial satellite) and mobile phone operator to the Singaporean company. After the coup, Sonthi claimed that Singapore was eavesdropping on confidential mobile telephone calls made by junta leaders. AIS
and Shin Satellite
, Shin Corp's mobile operator and satellite operator, denied the claim. In February 2007, Sonthi vowed in front of a thousand volunteer territorial defence students to reclaim the satellites and other telecom assets. "Soldiers will not tolerate a loss of territory, not even a square inch," he said, and continued about how it was his specific duty to "retrieve our assets". Sonthi stopped short of threatening to nationalise the telecommunications conglomerate. An opinion poll found more than 78 percent of 1,116 Thais surveyed backed Sonthi's bid to somehow reclaim the satellites.
Sonthi's deputy in the CNS, General Saprang Kalayanamitr
, noted in a February interview that, "if the telecommunication business is in private hands, it won't be safe for the country."
accused the Thai Army, under Sonthi's command, of "disappearing
" ethnic Malay Muslims in the far south in a deliberate attempt to defeat the South Thailand insurgency
. "These 'disappearances' appear to be a matter of policy, not simply the work of rogue elements in the security services," said the agency in a report.
, was hired as head of the publicity team. Politicians hired as part of the CNS campaign included Chat Pattana party leader Korn Dabbaransi, Democrats Korn Chatikavanij
, 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. However, Sophon denied he had anything to do with the campaign.
After a bomb was exploded outside of Chitrlada Palace in early May 2007, junta leader Sonthi Boonratkalin claimed that the "old power group" was behind it, and told the press to ask PTV
to learn more. He did not cite any evidence for his claims.
Sonthi claimed in public that several upper-middle ranking public officials had attempted to give him between 40 and 100 million baht in order to get promoted to director-general posts. Sonthi noted that the incidents led him to conclude that paying bribes to get promoted was common during the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra. A criminal complaint was filed against Sonthi for failing to take action against the officials. "Sonthi knows who the people are. Why hasn't he charged them over their illegal actions?" said People's Television executive Veera Musigapong.
Amid escalating public criticism of Premier Surayud in March 2007, Chaiwat Sinsuwong, leader of a PAD branch called the Assembly of Isaan People, personally met Sonthi to request that the military remove the Prime Minister. Afterwards, Chaiwat claimed that Sonthi listened to him attentively and promised to consider his request. Sonthi later claimed that he was tricked into receiving Chaiwat, and had no intention to endorse the anti-government activists.
In May 2007, Sonthi warned about 40 senior newspaper columnists and executives to "report news correctly," saying that he had noticed columnists criticising situations in different ways, and making it clear that he wanted stories to be reported in the same direction.
On 30 May 2007, a junta-appointed Constitutional Tribunal dissolved the Thai Rak Thai Party and banned over 100 of its executives, including Thaksin, from politics for 5 years. On the morning of the ruling, Sonthi met with Tribunal judge Ackaratorn Chularat. He later denied that he lobbied the Constitution Tribunal to ban the Thai Rak Thai executive team.
leader and deposed Prime Minister General Suchinda Kraprayoon
, Sonthi did note that he alone could not make the decision as to whether he should become Prime Minister.
In March 2007, Sonthi called for emergency rule to be declared in Bangkok in response to the protests by the founders of People's Television
. In an interview, he noted that the protests had so far been peaceful, but that he was afraid the movement could lead to "mutiny and chaos in the country."
As the military junta consolidated its power, Sonthi flip-flopped from earlier promises not to cling to power. In a television interview on 25 June 2007 he hinted at plans to enter politics after he retires as Army chief in September 2007, not denying a suggestion that a new political party might be created for him. The very next day, a group of allies and anti-Thaksin politicians launched Ruam Jai Thai (Thai Unity), a new party that “would not be unfriendly to the military”, as one put it.
Sonthi's potential entry into politics was welcomed by Suthep Thaugsuban
, Secretary-General of the Democrat Party. "It would be a good sign if Sonthi would turn himself into a politician because that is the way of democracy. We should appreciate him [if he did it that way]. He is welcome... I haven't talked about the matter with him. But, in general, the Army commander-in-chief, government officials or ordinary people are welcome here at the Democrat Party," Suthep said.
Coup-supporter Suriyasai Katasila of the People's Alliance for Democracy
suggested that Sonthi skip the next post-election and wait for the one after it, if he is keen about entering politics. Fellow coup-supporter Chamlong Srimuang, whose 1992 protests against Prime Minister Suchinda Kraprayoon
led to the coup-leader's downfall, declined to state his views on Sonthi's future political role. CNS sources claimed that as of July 2007, Sonthi had not made a decision about whether or not to run in the next election.
The Prime Minister's Office Minister defended Sonthi's right to formally enter politics. "Whether or not it is appropriate for him to contest the [next] general election is open to criticism, which, of course, has nothing to do with his right to run. If people consider it inappropriate, they will not vote for him or his party," the Minister said.
In the months prior to July 2007, Sonthi co-chaired meetings of the Thai Cabinet, alongside Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont. He also travelled to the provinces to convince local officials to cut links with Thaksin Shinawatra and anti-junta politicians, telling them they would be treated better under his rule. Sources claimed that Sonthi was planning to run for Parliament in the next election, representing Lopburi
. General Pallop Pinmanee
, Sonthi's advisor and director of the Internal Security Operations Command
(ISOC) was charged with building a support base for Gen Sonthi in Lopburi
. ISOC staff were also sent to Northern and Northeastern provinces, political strongholds of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai
party, to persuade local politicians to defect from Thai Rak Thai and join political parties backed by the military.
Sonthi resigned as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army on September 30, 2007. He was succeeded by General Anupong Paochinda
. Sonthi resigned as chairman of the Council for National Security on October 1, 2007. He was succeeded as CNS chairman by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force
. Sonthi accepted a post in the cabinet of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont
as deputy prime minister in charge of security.
Sonthi is of Persian lineage. His ancestor, Sheikh Ahmad Qomi, was an Iran
ian expatriate trader who lived in Thailand for 26 years. Many Thais, including those from the Bunnag
and Ahmadchula families trace their ancestry back to him.
of Thailand:
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Islam in Thailand
Islam is a minority faith in Thailand with statistics suggesting a population of anywhere from 500,000 to 1.2 million Most Thai Muslims belong to the Sunni sect, although Thailand has a very diverse and developing population which includes immigrants from around the world.-Demographics &...
in charge of the mostly Buddhist army. On 19 September 2006, he became the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
head of government of 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...
after overthrowing the elected government in a coup d'état
2006 Thailand coup d'état
The 2006 Thai coup d'état took place on Tuesday 19 September 2006, when the Royal Thai Army staged a coup d'état against the elected caretaker government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra...
. After retiring from the Army in 2007, he became Deputy Prime Minister, in charge of national security.
Sonthi is a multimillionaire and has two wives, Sukanya and Piyada, despite legal prohibitions against bigamy
Bigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
.
Education and early career
Sonthi Boonyaratglin graduated from the 6th Class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory SchoolArmed 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...
. He graduated 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 1969 as part of Class 17 and was commissioned into the Royal Army Infantry Corps. He went on to lead several top units, including the elite Special Warfare Command based in Lopburi
Lopburi
Lopburi ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is located about 150 km north-east of Bangkok. As of 2006 it has a population of 26,500...
province.
In August 2004, Sonthi was appointed Deputy Army Commander. Against public expectations, Sonthi was promoted to Army Commander in October 2005. Sonthi's fast rise was backed by retired armed forces Supreme Commander 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...
(with whom he had served while leading the Special Warfare Command) and Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda
Prem Tinsulanonda
General Prem Tinsulanonda is a retired Thai military officer who served as Prime Minister of Thailand from March 3, 1980 to August 4, 1988. He now serves as the Head of the Privy Council of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej....
. Both serve as advisers to King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...
.
Conflicts with Thaksin Shinawatra
As Army Commander, General Sonthi repeatedly assured the public that the army would not interfere in the political crisisThailand political crisis 2005-2006
In 2005 and 2006, a series of events occurred in Thailand as a result of an unrest with Thaksin Shinawatra that was supported by Sondhi Limthongkul and his coalitions...
, although he has said that "His Majesty must have been saddened" by the nation's political problems
Thailand political crisis 2005-2006
In 2005 and 2006, a series of events occurred in Thailand as a result of an unrest with Thaksin Shinawatra that was supported by Sondhi Limthongkul and his coalitions...
. He has also protested Thaksin's unsuccessful attempt to promote a large number of his own former classmates from Class 10 of the 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...
to army units responsible for Bangkok's security.
The 2006 annual military reshuffle was delayed due to the political crisis, as caretaker 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....
denied that he planned to remove Sonthi as Army Commander. Despite this, Sonthi consolidating his personal power base by transferring out 129 mid-ranking officers under generals that he thought were loyal to the Prime Minister. Some observers saw this as a message to the Government that Sonthi was still firmly in charge of the Army.
As late as May 2006, Sonthi publicly denied the need for a military coup:
Southern Thailand insurgency
After being appointed Army Commander in 2005, Sonthi expressed confidence that he could resolve the insurgency. He claimed that he would take a "new and effective" approach to a crisis and that "The army is informed [of who the insurgents are] and will carry out their duties." Sonthi was granted an extraordinary increase in executive powers to combat unrest in the far SouthSouth 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...
. However, up to 19 September 2006, the Army admitted that they had no idea who the insurgents were. The drastic escalation of the insurgency during his leadership of the Army led to much public criticism of Army efforts.
While assigned to the South, Sonthi suggested that former communist insurgents might be playing a role in the unrest. Leaders of the southern provinces displayed skepticism over his suggestion and investigations did not reveal any communist link.
Sonthi was also blamed for failing to rescue two teachers who had been severely beaten by a mob in May 2006. One of them, Juling Pangamoon, is still in a coma and attracted fame for being the focus of attention from the royal family of Thailand.
On August 2006 after 22 commercial banks were simultaneously bombed in Yala province
Yala Province
Yala is the southernmost province of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Songkhla, Pattani and Narathiwat. Yala is the only land-locked province in the south of Thailand...
, Sonthi announced that he would break with government policy and negotiate with the leaders of the insurgency. However, he noted that "We still don't know who is the real head of the militants we are fighting with." In a press conference the next day, he attacked the government for criticizing him for trying to negotiate with the anonymous insurgents, and demanded that the government "Free the military and let it do the job." Afterwards, insurgents bombed 6 department stores
2006 Hat Yai bombings
The 2006 Hat Yai bombings took place in Hat Yai, Songkhla Province, Thailand on September 16, 2006 and are believed to be part of the on-going South Thailand insurgency. At least four people were killed and 82 were injured...
in Hat Yai
Hat Yai
Hat Yai is a city in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border. Located at , it has a population of 157,359 in the city itself and about 800,000 in the greater Hat Yai area. Hat Yai is the largest city of Songkhla Province, the largest metropolitan area in Southern, and third largest...
city, which up until then had been free of insurgent activities. As always, the identity of the insurgents was not revealed. On 8 September, Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya promised to give Sonthi increased powers to better deal with the insurgency. However, by 19 September 2006, the Army admitted that it still was unsure who to negotiate with.
Three days later, Sonthi led a coup against 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....
. Sonthi's former superiors, Deputy Prime Minister for national security Chidchai Vanasatidya and Defense Minister Thammarak Isaragura na Ayuthaya
Thammarak Isaragura na Ayuthaya
Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayuthaya is a former Thai military officer, Member of Parliament, co-founder of the Thai Rak Thai Party, and former defence minister...
were immediately arrested and have been detained ever since.
Despite escalating violence, in May 2007 Sonthi started withdrawing troops from the South, replacing them with territorial defence volunteers. He did not say why the regular army was to be reduced in the South.
Military coup
During the peak of the Thailand political crisis in February 2006, Sondhi LimthongkulSondhi Limthongkul
Sondhi Limthongkul is a Thai media mogul and leader of the right-wing People's Alliance for Democracy . He was elected for leader of the New Politics Party ....
, leader of the anti-Thaksin 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...
(PAD), personally met Sonthi to request that the military intervene in the crisis. Afterwards, Sondhi claimed that Sonthi listened to him attentively and promised to consider his request. Sonthi later claimed that he was misled into receiving Sondhi, and had no intention to endorse the anti-government activists.
On 19 September 2006, Sonthi and other military leaders launched a military coup against the government 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....
. The coup-makers originally called themselves the Council for Democratic Reform. Tanks surrounded Government House in 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...
and the military took over all broadcast media. Thaksin declared a state of emergency from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(where he had been attending a meeting of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
), but his broadcast was cut in mid-sentence when the military seized the television station.
Sonthi dissolved Cabinet, Parliament, and the Constitutional Court, and temporarily gave himself powers equivalent to Prime Minister. He declared that the council would hand over power in two weeks. On the second day of the coup, he received a formal mandate from King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...
.
General Sonthi later said in an interview that the coup was originally planned for 20 September, to coincide with a major anti-Thaksin rally also planned for that day. He cited the "Portuguese example
5 October 1910 revolution
The revolution of 1910 was a republican coup d'état that occurred in Portugal on 5 October 1910, which deposed King Manuel II and established the Portuguese First Republic....
" in which anti-government rallies coincided with a successful military rebellion which overthrew King Manuel II of Portugal
Manuel II of Portugal
Manuel II , named Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio de Bragança Orleães Sabóia e Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha — , was the last King of Portugal from 1908 to 1910, ascending the throne after the assassination of his father and elder brother Manuel...
and established the Portuguese First Republic
Portuguese First Republic
The Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
. The coup was moved up to 19 September, when Thaksin was still in New York. Sonthi also stated that the coup was not an urgent measure mooted just a couple of days earlier. Sonthi also claimed that during a lunch that Thaksin had with the commanders of the armed forces, Thaksin had asked him "Will you stage a coup?" Sonthi replied: "I will." This contradicted earlier public statements where he denied that the military would stage a coup. He also revealed that as early as his 11 September visit to Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, he had been wary of his personal safety. During flight, he carried a concealed pistol and sat next to the entrance to the cockpit.
Sonthi and other junta leaders flew to Chiang Mai on an Air Force C-130 on 3 November 2006 to visit a prominent fortune-teller and perform a religious ceremony to ward off bad luck over their staging of the coup. The fortune teller, Varin Buaviratlert, had been Sonthi's long-time personal fortune-teller, and had foretold Sonthi's rise to become Army Commander. Amid falling popularity, Sonthi sent his wife and several CNS leaders to visit her on 1 April 2007.
Sonthi completely purged the military of all senior officers perceived as loyal to the Thaksin government, replacing them with officers that he personally trusted.
Permanent constitution
In December 2006, junta chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin issued several guidelines for the permanent constitution2007 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...
being drafted by the CNS's drafting body. These included:
- Restricting a Prime Minister to serving a maximum of two terms of office
- Preventing a government from acting as a caretaker administration after dissolving Parliament.
- Making it easier to launch a no-confidence debate against the Prime Minister. Whereas the 1997 Constitution required 200 out of the House's 500 MPs to launch a no-confidence debate against the Prime Minister, Sonthi demanded that 100 MPs be sufficient.
He also made several suggestions, including:
- Transforming the Senate from an all-elected body in order to prevent relatives of politicians from being elected and thus perverting the non-partisan intent of the 1997 Constitution.
- Allowing politicians to switch political parties at any time. The 1997 Constitution required that any candidate for the House belong to a political party for 90 days before the registration date for an election.
- Banning the merger of political parties.
Sonthi later denied dictating the content for the new constitution, but stated "We can't force them to do things but responsible people will know what the constitution should look like."
He also suggested that the term in office of village heads and kamnan
Kamnan
A kamnan is a Thai governing official at the tambon level. It is usually translated as "subdistrict headman".The position of a kamnan was introduced with the thesaphiban administrative reforms at the end of the 19th century, first enacted in 1892. On of the village elders of the muban...
be increased from 5 years to 10 years, while the role of elected tambon
Tambon
Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...
administrative organisations be reduced.
Relations with Singapore
In 2006, 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....
sold his shares in telecom firm Shin Corp 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...
. The sale also transferred control of Shin Corp's five satellites (including IPSTAR, the world's largest commercial satellite) and mobile phone operator to the Singaporean company. After the coup, Sonthi claimed that Singapore was eavesdropping on confidential mobile telephone calls made by junta leaders. AIS
AIS
-As a word:* Ais people, a Native American tribe living on the Treasure coast of Florida, United States which had completely disappeared by the mid-18th Century.*Plural of:** ai ** AI -Medicine:...
and Shin Satellite
Shin Satellite
THAICOM Public Company Limited, was formerly known as Shin Satellite Plc , is Thailand's first satellite operator. It is a subsidiary of Shin Corporation, the biggest telecommunications conglomerate in Thailand...
, Shin Corp's mobile operator and satellite operator, denied the claim. In February 2007, Sonthi vowed in front of a thousand volunteer territorial defence students to reclaim the satellites and other telecom assets. "Soldiers will not tolerate a loss of territory, not even a square inch," he said, and continued about how it was his specific duty to "retrieve our assets". Sonthi stopped short of threatening to nationalise the telecommunications conglomerate. An opinion poll found more than 78 percent of 1,116 Thais surveyed backed Sonthi's bid to somehow reclaim the satellites.
Sonthi's deputy in the CNS, General Saprang Kalayanamitr
Saprang Kalayanamitr
General Saprang Kalayanamitr 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 , and also Chairman of the Boards of TOT...
, noted in a February interview that, "if the telecommunication business is in private hands, it won't be safe for the country."
Human rights
Human Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
accused the Thai Army, under Sonthi's command, of "disappearing
Forced disappearance
In international human rights law, a forced disappearance occurs when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organization or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the...
" ethnic Malay Muslims in the far south in a deliberate attempt to defeat 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...
. "These 'disappearances' appear to be a matter of policy, not simply the work of rogue elements in the security services," said the agency in a report.
Other controversies
Sonthi approved a 12 million baht top-secret budget for a public relations campaign to discredit Thaksin Shinawatra. The request for the money was submitted on 24 Jan 2007. Chianchuang Kalayanamitr, younger brother of CNS Deputy Secretary-General Saprang KalayanamitrSaprang Kalayanamitr
General Saprang Kalayanamitr 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 , and also Chairman of the Boards of TOT...
, was hired as head of the publicity team. 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:...
, 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. However, Sophon denied he had anything to do with the campaign.
After a bomb was exploded outside of Chitrlada Palace in early May 2007, junta leader Sonthi Boonratkalin claimed that the "old power group" was behind it, and told the press to ask PTV
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...
to learn more. He did not cite any evidence for his claims.
Sonthi claimed in public that several upper-middle ranking public officials had attempted to give him between 40 and 100 million baht in order to get promoted to director-general posts. Sonthi noted that the incidents led him to conclude that paying bribes to get promoted was common during the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra. A criminal complaint was filed against Sonthi for failing to take action against the officials. "Sonthi knows who the people are. Why hasn't he charged them over their illegal actions?" said People's Television executive Veera Musigapong.
Amid escalating public criticism of Premier Surayud in March 2007, Chaiwat Sinsuwong, leader of a PAD branch called the Assembly of Isaan People, personally met Sonthi to request that the military remove the Prime Minister. Afterwards, Chaiwat claimed that Sonthi listened to him attentively and promised to consider his request. Sonthi later claimed that he was tricked into receiving Chaiwat, and had no intention to endorse the anti-government activists.
In May 2007, Sonthi warned about 40 senior newspaper columnists and executives to "report news correctly," saying that he had noticed columnists criticising situations in different ways, and making it clear that he wanted stories to be reported in the same direction.
On 30 May 2007, a junta-appointed Constitutional Tribunal dissolved the Thai Rak Thai Party and banned over 100 of its executives, including Thaksin, from politics for 5 years. On the morning of the ruling, Sonthi met with Tribunal judge Ackaratorn Chularat. He later denied that he lobbied the Constitution Tribunal to ban the Thai Rak Thai executive team.
Resignation from CNS, entry into politics
There was widespread public speculation that Sonthi would retain power after his mandatory retirement in 2007. Although he promised not to follow in the footsteps of former National Peace Keeping CoalitionNational Peace Keeping Council
The National Peace Keeping Council was a Thai military junta that overthrew the civilian elected government of Chatichai Choonhavan in 1991. It was led by Army Commander Suchinda Kraprayoon, Supreme Commander Sunthorn Kongsompong, Airforce Commander Kaset Rojananil and members of the 5th Class of...
leader and deposed Prime Minister 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...
, Sonthi did note that he alone could not make the decision as to whether he should become Prime Minister.
In March 2007, Sonthi called for emergency rule to be declared in Bangkok in response to the protests 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...
. In an interview, he noted that the protests had so far been peaceful, but that he was afraid the movement could lead to "mutiny and chaos in the country."
As the military junta consolidated its power, Sonthi flip-flopped from earlier promises not to cling to power. In a television interview on 25 June 2007 he hinted at plans to enter politics after he retires as Army chief in September 2007, not denying a suggestion that a new political party might be created for him. The very next day, a group of allies and anti-Thaksin politicians launched Ruam Jai Thai (Thai Unity), a new party that “would not be unfriendly to the military”, as one put it.
Sonthi's potential entry into politics was welcomed by Suthep Thaugsuban
Suthep Thaugsuban
Suthep Thaugsuban is a Thai politician, and Member of Parliament for Surat Thani province...
, Secretary-General of the Democrat Party. "It would be a good sign if Sonthi would turn himself into a politician because that is the way of democracy. We should appreciate him [if he did it that way]. He is welcome... I haven't talked about the matter with him. But, in general, the Army commander-in-chief, government officials or ordinary people are welcome here at the Democrat Party," Suthep said.
Coup-supporter Suriyasai Katasila 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...
suggested that Sonthi skip the next post-election and wait for the one after it, if he is keen about entering politics. Fellow coup-supporter Chamlong Srimuang, whose 1992 protests against Prime Minister 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...
led to the coup-leader's downfall, declined to state his views on Sonthi's future political role. CNS sources claimed that as of July 2007, Sonthi had not made a decision about whether or not to run in the next election.
The Prime Minister's Office Minister defended Sonthi's right to formally enter politics. "Whether or not it is appropriate for him to contest the [next] general election is open to criticism, which, of course, has nothing to do with his right to run. If people consider it inappropriate, they will not vote for him or his party," the Minister said.
In the months prior to July 2007, Sonthi co-chaired meetings of the Thai Cabinet, alongside Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont. He also travelled to the provinces to convince local officials to cut links with Thaksin Shinawatra and anti-junta politicians, telling them they would be treated better under his rule. Sources claimed that Sonthi was planning to run for Parliament in the next election, representing Lopburi
Lopburi
Lopburi ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is located about 150 km north-east of Bangkok. As of 2006 it has a population of 26,500...
. General Pallop Pinmanee
Pallop Pinmanee
General Pallop Pinmanee is a retired Thai Army general who took part in several coups, ordered the massacre of insurgents at Krue Sae Mosque and allegedly played a role in the attempted car bomb assassination of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra...
, Sonthi's advisor and director of the Internal Security Operations Command
Internal Security Operations Command
The Internal Security Operations Command is a unit of the Thai military devoted to national security issues. It was responsible for suppression of leftist groups during the 1970s and 1980s during which it was implicated in numerous atrocities against activists and civilians. The modern ISOC was...
(ISOC) was charged with building a support base for Gen Sonthi in Lopburi
Lopburi
Lopburi ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is located about 150 km north-east of Bangkok. As of 2006 it has a population of 26,500...
. ISOC staff were also sent to Northern and Northeastern provinces, political strongholds 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, to persuade local politicians to defect from Thai Rak Thai and join political parties backed by the military.
Sonthi resigned as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army on September 30, 2007. He was succeeded by General Anupong Paochinda
Anupong 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....
. Sonthi resigned as chairman of the Council for National Security on October 1, 2007. He was succeeded as CNS chairman by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, the commander-in-chief of the 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...
. Sonthi accepted a post in the cabinet of 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...
as deputy prime minister in charge of security.
Personal life
Sonthi has two concurrent wives. He registered to marry his first wife, Sukanya, when he was a lieutenant and registered to a second wife, Piyada, when he was a captain. He currently lives with both women. Bigamy is illegal in Thailand, and is punishable with a jail term. However, Interior Minister Aree Wongsaraya defended Sonthi, claiming that it was a personal matter. He boasted that he himself had six wives.Sonthi is of Persian lineage. His ancestor, Sheikh Ahmad Qomi, was an Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian expatriate trader who lived in Thailand for 26 years. Many Thais, including those from the Bunnag
Bunnag
The House of Bunnag was a powerful Siamese noble family of the Persian descent of the early Rattanakosin. By the nineteenth century, its power and influence reached its zenith. The family was favored by Chakri monarchs and monopolized high-ranking titles. Three Somdet Chao Phrayas came from the...
and Ahmadchula families trace their ancestry back to him.
Royal decorations
Sonthi has received the following royal decorations in the Honours SystemThai Honours Order of Precedence
State decorations awarded by Thailand take the form of orders and medals. This page lists them by order of precedence.-Royal decorations:# Knight and Dame of the Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn...
of Thailand:
- 1972 -
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Victory Medal - Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of... - 1973 -
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Freeman Safeguarding Medal, Second Class - 1976 -
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Companion (Fourth Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand - 1982 -
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Border Service Medal - 1984 -
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Commander (Third Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand - 1989 -
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Chakra Mala Medal - 1989 -
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Knight Commander (Second Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand - 1991 -
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Knight Commander (Second Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White ElephantOrder of the White ElephantThe Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:... - 1995 -
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Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand - 1999 -
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Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White ElephantOrder of the White ElephantThe Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:...
Quotes
- "There is nobody who wants to stage a coup. I can assure that the military will not." 28 February 2006
- "The army will not get involved in the political conflict. Political troubles should be resolved by politicians. Military coups are a thing of the past.", 6 March 2006,
- "Nobody was behind us. We decided on our own, and we took care of it on our own ... because the people have called for it and also because of the mismanagement of the government.", 20 September 2006
- "Thaksin is a Thai and a fellow countryman and there will be no problem should he decide to return. We are like brothers.", 20 September 2006
External links
- Thailand military consolidates grip
- The insider's guide to ... the Thai coup
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5363068.stm
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