This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Thailand |
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The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of the Kingdom of Thailand. The prime minister is also the chairman of the cabinet of Thailand and represents the government at home and the country abroad.
The post of prime minister has existed since 1932, after a bloodless revolution forced the absolutist King Prajadhipok to grant for the people of Siam their first constitution. Under the newly established constitutional monarchy, the first prime minister of Siam was Phraya Manopakorn Nititada. At first, the office was called the President of the People's Committee , it was later changed to Prime Minister of Siam when the king deemed it too communistic.
Constitutionally the prime minister is required to be a member of the lower house of the National Assembly (the House of Representatives). He must also gain their approval through a resolution before an official appointment by the king can take place. As a result, the prime minister might succumb to a vote of no confidence and removal in the House. However, this has never happened up to date.
Throughout the post's existence it has mostly been occupied by military leaders from the Royal Thai Army, three holding the rank of field marshal and seven the rank of general. The post of prime minister is currently held by General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who was formally appointed to the office on 24 August 2014. Previously he was the de facto head of government as leader of the National Council for Peace and Order, since the coup d'état on 22 May 2014.
Note: The list includes leaders of military juntas and acting prime ministers. However, they are not counted in the official list as provided by the Royal Thai Government
No. | Prime Minister | Term of office | Political party | Government | Elected | Monarch (Reign) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
1 | Phraya Manopakorn Nititada (1884–1948) | 28 June 1932 | 20 June 1933 | 358 days | Independent | 1. Manopakorn I | — | Prajadhipok (1925–1935) | ||
2. Manopakorn II | ||||||||||
3. Manopakorn III | ||||||||||
2 | Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena (1887–1947) | 21 June 1933 | 16 December 1938 | 5 years, 178 days | Khana Ratsadon (Military faction) | 4. Phahonyothin I | ||||
5. Phahonyothin II | 1933 | |||||||||
6. Phahonyothin III | — | Ananda Mahidol (1935–1946) | ||||||||
7. Phahonyothin IV | 1937 | |||||||||
8. Phahonyothin V | — | |||||||||
3 | Plaek Phibunsongkhram (1897–1964) | 16 December 1938 | 1 August 1944 | 5 years, 229 days | Khana Ratsadon (Military faction) | 9. Plaek I | 1938 | |||
10. Plaek II | — | |||||||||
4 | Khuang Aphaiwong (1902–1968) | 1 August 1944 | 31 August 1945 | 1 year, 30 days | Independent | 11. Khuang I | ||||
5 | Thawi Bunyaket (1904–1971) | 31 August 1945 | 17 September 1945 | 17 days | Free Thai | 12. Tawee I | ||||
6 | Seni Pramoj (1905–1997) | 17 September 1945 | 31 January 1946 | 136 days | Free Thai | 13. Seni I | ||||
(4) | Khuang Aphaiwong (1902–1968) | 31 January 1946 | 24 March 1946 | 52 days | Independent | 14. Khuang II | 1946 | |||
7 | Pridi Banomyong (1900–1983) | 24 March 1946 | 23 August 1946 | 152 days | Free Thai | 15. Pridi I | — | |||
16. Pridi II | Bhumibol Adulyadej (1946–2016) | |||||||||
8 | Thawan Thamrongnawasawat (1901–1988) | 23 August 1946 | 8 November 1947 | 1 year, 79 days | Constitutional Front | 17. Thawan I | 1946 | |||
18. Thawan II | — | |||||||||
— | Phin Choonhavan (1891–1973) | 8 November 1947 | 10 November 1947 | 2 days | Military | Coup Group (interim) | ||||
(4) | Khuang Aphaiwong (1902–1968) | 10 November 1947 | 8 April 1948 | 150 days | Democrat | 19. Khuang III | ||||
20. Khuang IV | 1948 | |||||||||
(3) | Plaek Phibunsongkhram (1897–1964) | 8 April 1948 | 16 September 1957 | 9 years, 161 days | Conservative Party [1] | 21. Plaek III | — | |||
22. Plaek IV | 1949 | |||||||||
23. Plaek V | — | |||||||||
24. Plaek VI | ||||||||||
25. Plaek VII | 1952 | |||||||||
Seri Manangkhasila | 26. Plaek VIII | 1957 | ||||||||
— | Sarit Thanarat (1908–1963) | 16 September 1957 | 21 September 1957 | 5 days | Military | Coup Group (interim) | — | |||
9 | Pote Sarasin (1905–2000) | 21 September 1957 | 1 January 1958 | 102 days | Independent | 27. Pote | ||||
10 | Thanom Kittikachorn (1911–2004) | 1 January 1958 | 20 October 1958 | 292 days | National Socialist [2] | 28. Thanom I | 1957 | |||
11 | Sarit Thanarat (1908–1963) | 20 October 1958 | 8 December 1963(Died in office) | 5 years, 49 days | Military | Revolution Group (interim) | — | |||
Military | 29. Sarit I | |||||||||
(10) | Thanom Kittikachorn (1911–2004) | 9 December 1963 | 14 October 1973 | 9 years, 309 days | Military | 30. Thanom II | ||||
United Thai People | 31. Thanom III | 1969 | ||||||||
Military | Revolution Group (interim) | — | ||||||||
32. Thanom IV | ||||||||||
12 | Sanya Dharmasakti (1907–2002) | 14 October 1973 | 15 February 1975 | 1 year, 124 days | Independent | 33. Sanya I | ||||
34. Sanya II | ||||||||||
(6) | Seni Pramoj (1905–1997) | 15 February 1975 | 14 March 1975 | 27 days | Democrat | 35. Seni II | 1975 | |||
13 | Kukrit Pramoj (1911–1995) | 14 March 1975 | 20 April 1976 | 1 year, 37 days | Social Action | 36. Kukrit | — | |||
(6) | Seni Pramoj (1905–1997) | 20 April 1976 | 6 October 1976 | 169 days | Democrat | 37. Seni III | 1976 | |||
38. Seni IV | — | |||||||||
— | Sangad Chaloryu (1915–1980) | 6 October 1976 | 8 October 1976 | 2 days | Military | Administration Reform Council (interim) | ||||
14 | Thanin Kraivichien (1927–) | 8 October 1976 | 20 October 1977 | 1 year, 34 days | Independent | 39. Thanin | ||||
— | Sangad Chaloryu (1915–1980) | 20 October 1977 | 10 November 1977 | 21 days | Military | Revolution Group (interim) | ||||
15 | Kriangsak Chamanan (1917–2003) | 11 November 1977 | 3 March 1980 | 2 years, 113 days | Military | 40. Kriangsak I | ||||
National Democrat | 41. Kriangsak II | 1979 | ||||||||
16 | Prem Tinsulanonda (1920–2019) | 3 March 1980 | 4 August 1988 | 8 years, 154 days | Military | 42. Prem I | — | |||
43. Prem II | 1983 | |||||||||
44. Prem III | 1986 | |||||||||
17 | Chatichai Choonhavan (1920–1998) | 4 August 1988 | 23 February 1991 | 2 years, 204 days | Chart Thai | 45. Chatchai I | 1988 | |||
46. Chatchai II | — | |||||||||
— | Sunthorn Kongsompong (1931–1999) | 24 February 1991 | 2 March 1991 | 6 days | Military | National Peace Keeping Council (interim) | ||||
18 | Anand Panyarachun (1932–) | 2 March 1991 | 7 April 1992 | 1 year, 36 days | Independent | 47. Anand I | ||||
19 | Suchinda Kraprayoon (1933–) | 7 April 1992 | 24 May 1992 | 47 days | Independent | 48. Suchinda | 1992 | |||
— | Meechai Ruchuphan (1938–) Acting Prime Minister | 24 May 1992 | 10 June 1992 | 17 days | Independent | — | ||||
(18) | Anand Panyarachun (1932–) | 10 June 1992 | 23 September 1992 | 105 days | Independent | 49. Anand II | ||||
20 | Chuan Leekpai (1938–) | 23 September 1992 | 13 July 1995 | 2 years, 293 days | Democrat | 50. Chuan I | 1992 | |||
21 | Banharn Silpa-archa (1932–2016) | 13 July 1995 | 25 November 1996 | 1 year, 135 days | Chart Thai | 51. Banharn | 1995 | |||
22 | Chavalit Yongchaiyudh (1932–) | 25 November 1996 | 9 November 1997 | 349 days | New Aspiration | 52. Chavalit | 1996 | |||
(20) | Chuan Leekpai (1938–) | 9 November 1997 | 9 February 2001 | 3 years, 92 days | Democrat | 53. Chuan II | — | |||
23 | Thaksin Shinawatra (1949–) | 9 February 2001 | 19 September 2006 | 5 years, 222 days | Thai Rak Thai | 54. Thaksin I | 2001 | |||
55. Thaksin II | 2005 | |||||||||
— | Sonthi Boonyaratglin (1946–) | 19 September 2006 | 1 October 2006 | 12 days | Military | Council for National Security (interim) | — | |||
24 | Surayud Chulanont (1943–) | 1 October 2006 | 29 January 2008 | 1 year, 120 days | Independent | 56. Surayud | ||||
25 | Samak Sundaravej (1935–2009) | 29 January 2008 | 8 September 2008 | 224 days | People's Power | 57. Samak | 2007 | |||
26 | Somchai Wongsawat (1947–) | 8 September 2008 | 2 December 2008 | 9 days | People's Power | — | ||||
84 days | People's Power | 58. Somchai | ||||||||
— | Chaovarat Chanweerakul (1936–) Acting Prime Minister | 2 December 2008 | 17 December 2008 | 15 days | Independent | |||||
27 | Abhisit Vejjajiva (1964–) | 17 December 2008 | 5 August 2011 | 2 years, 231 days | Democrat | 59. Abhisit | ||||
28 | Yingluck Shinawatra (1967–) | 5 August 2011 | 7 May 2014 | 2 years, 275 days | Pheu Thai | 60. Yingluck | 2011 | |||
— | Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan (1948–) Acting Prime Minister | 7 May 2014 | 22 May 2014 | 15 days | Pheu Thai | — | ||||
29 | Prayut Chan-o-cha (1954–) | 22 May 2014 [3] | Incumbent | 6 years, 68 days | Military | National Council for Peace and Order (interim) | ||||
61. Prayut I | Vajiralongkorn (2016–) | |||||||||
Palang Pracharath | 62. Prayut II | 2019 | ||||||||
As of July 2020, there are ten living former Thai Prime Ministers.
Name | Term of office | Date of birth | Political party |
---|---|---|---|
Thanin Kraivichien | 1976–1977 | 5 April 1927 | non-partisan |
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh | 1996–1997 | 15 May 1932 | New Aspiration Party |
Anand Panyarachun | 1991–1992, 1992 | 9 August 1932 | non-partisan |
Suchinda Kraprayoon | 1992 | 6 August 1933 | Military |
Chuan Leekpai | 1992–1995; 1997–2001 | 28 July 1938 | Democrat Party |
Surayud Chulanont | 2006–2008 | 28 August 1943 | non-partisan (Military) |
Somchai Wongsawat | 2008 | 31 August 1947 | People's Power Party |
Thaksin Shinawatra | 2001–2006 | 26 July 1949 | Thai Rak Thai |
Abhisit Vejjajiva | 2008–2011 | 3 August 1964 | Democrat Party |
Yingluck Shinawatra | 2011–2014 | 21 June 1967 | Pheu Thai Party |
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