List of Prime Ministers of Thailand

This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Thailand

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 parliament or 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

Key

Political parties
Other factions

Prime Ministers of the Kingdom of Thailand (1932–present)

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Government Legislature Monarch
(Reign)
Took office Left office Time in office
Phraya Manopakorn Nititada
(1884–1948)
28 June 1932 10 December 1932 358 days Independent Manopakorn I Temporary (1932)
King
Prajadhipok
(1925–1935)
10 December 1932 1 April 1933 Manopakorn II
1 April 1933 20 June 1933 Manopakorn III
Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena
(1887–1947)
21 June 1933 16 December 1933 1 year, 93 days Khana Ratsadon
(Military faction)
Phahonyothin I
16 December 1933 22 September 1934 Phahonyothin II II (1933)
22 September 1934 9 August 1937 4 years, 85 days Khana Ratsadon
(Military faction)
Phahonyothin III
King
Ananda Mahidol
(1935–1946)
9 August 1937 21 December 1937 Phahonyothin IV
21 December 1937 16 December 1938 Phahonyothin V
Plaek Phibunsongkhram
(1897–1964)
16 December 1938 7 March 1942 5 years, 229 days Khana Ratsadon
(Military faction)
Plaek I III (1938)
7 March 1942 1 August 1944 Plaek II
Khuang Aphaiwong
(1902–1968)
1 August 1944 31 August 1945 1 year, 30 days Independent Khuang I
Tawee Boonyaket
(1904–1971)
31 August 1945 17 September 1945 17 days Free Thai Tawee I
Seni Pramoj
(1905–1997)
17 September 1945 31 January 1946 136 days Free Thai Seni I
Khuang Aphaiwong
(1902–1968)
31 January 1946 24 March 1946 52 days Independent Khuang II IV (1946)
Pridi Banomyong
(1900–1983)
24 March 1946 11 June 1946 152 days Free Thai Pridi I
11 June 1946 23 August 1946 Pridi II
King
Bhumibol Adulyadej
(1946–2016)
Thawan Thamrongnawasawat
(1901–1988)
23 August 1946 30 May 1947 1 year, 79 days Constitutional Front Thawan I
30 May 1947 8 November 1947 Thawan II
Phin Choonhavan
(1891–1973)
8 November 1947 10 November 1947 2 days Military Coup Group
Khuang Aphaiwong
(1902–1968)
10 November 1947 21 February 1948 150 days Democrat Khuang III ——
21 February 1948 8 April 1948 Khuang IV V (1948)
Plaek Phibunsongkhram
(1897–1964)
8 April 1948 25 June 1949 9 years, 161 days Khana Ratsadon
(Military faction)
Plaek III VI (1949)
25 June 1949 29 November 1951 Plaek IV
29 November 1951 6 December 1951 Plaek V ——
6 December 1951 24 March 1952 Plaek VI
24 March 1952 21 March 1957 Plaek VII VII (1952)
21 March 1957 16 September 1957 Seri Manangkhasila Plaek VIII VIII (1957)
Sarit Thanarat
(1908–1963)
16 September 1957 21 September 1957 5 days Military Coup Group
Pote Sarasin
(1905–2000)
21 September 1957 1 January 1958 102 days Independent Pote ——
Thanom Kittikachorn
(1911–2004)
1 January 1958 20 October 1958 292 days National Socialist[1] Thanom I IX (1957)
Sarit Thanarat
(1908–1963)
20 October 1958 9 February 1959 112 days Military Revolutionary Council
9 February 1959 8 December 1963 4 years, 303 days Military Sarit I Constituent Assembly (1959)
Thanom Kittikachorn
(1911–2004)
9 December 1963 7 March 1969 7 years, 344 days Military Thanom II
7 March 1969 17 November 1971 United Thai People Thanom III X (1969)
18 November 1971 17 December 1972 1 year, 29 days Military National Executive Council
18 December 1972 14 October 1973 301 days Thanom IV National Assembly I (1972)
Sanya Dharmasakti
(1907–2002)
14 October 1973 22 May 1974 1 year, 124 days Independent Sanya I National Assembly II (1973)
27 May 1974 15 February 1975 Sanya II
Seni Pramoj
(1905–1997)
15 February 1975 14 March 1975 27 days Democrat Seni II XI (1975)
Kukrit Pramoj
(1911–1995)
14 March 1975 20 April 1976 1 year, 37 days Social Action Kukrit
Seni Pramoj
(1905–1997)
20 April 1976 25 September 1976 1 year, 124 days Democrat Seni III XII (1976)
25 September 1976 6 October 1976 Seni IV
Sangad Chaloryu
(1915–1980)
6 October 1976 8 October 1976 2 days Military Administration Reform Council
Thanin Kraivichien
(1927–)
8 October 1976 20 October 1977 1 year, 34 days Independent Thanin ——
Sangad Chaloryu
(1915–1980)
20 October 1977 10 November 1977 21 days Military Administration Reform Council
Kriangsak Chamanan
(1917–2003)
11 November 1977 12 May 1979 2 years, 113 days Military Kriangsak I National Assembly III (1977)
12 May 1979 3 March 1980 Kriangsak II XIII (1976)
Prem Tinsulanonda
(1920–)
3 March 1980 30 April 1983 8 years, 154 days Military Prem I
30 April 1983 5 August 1986 Prem II XIV (1983)
5 August 1986 4 August 1988 Prem III XV (1986)
Chatichai Choonhavan
(1922–1998)
4 August 1988 9 December 1990 2 years, 204 days Chart Thai Chatchai I XVI (1988)
9 December 1990 23 February 1991 Chatchai II
Sunthorn Kongsompong
(1931–1999)
24 February 1991 2 March 1991 6 days Military National Peace Keeping Council
Anand Panyarachun
(1932–)
2 March 1991 7 April 1992 1 year, 36 days Independent Anand I National Assembly IV (1991)
Suchinda Kraprayoon
(1933–)
7 April 1992 10 June 1992 47 days Independent Suchinda XVII (1992)
Meechai Ruchuphan
(1938–)
Acting Prime Minister
24 May 1992 10 June 1992 17 days Independent
Anand Panyarachun
(1932–)
10 June 1992 23 September 1992 105 days Independent Anand II ——
Chuan Leekpai
(1938–)
23 September 1992 13 July 1995 2 years, 293 days Democrat Chuan I XVIII (1992)
Banharn Silpa-archa
(1932–2016)
13 July 1995 25 November 1996 1 year, 135 days Chart Thai Banharn XIX (1995)
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
(1932–)
25 November 1996 9 November 1997 349 days New Aspiration Chavalit XX (1996)
Chuan Leekpai
(1938–)
9 November 1997 9 February 2001 3 years, 92 days Democrat Chuan II
Thaksin Shinawatra
(1949–)
9 February 2001 9 March 2005 5 years, 55 days Thai Rak Thai Thaksin I XXI (2001)
9 March 2005 5 April 2006 Thaksin II XXII (2005)
Chitchai Wannasathit
(1949–)
Acting Prime Minister
5 April 2006 23 May 2006 48 days Thai Rak Thai ——
Thaksin Shinawatra
(1949–)
Caretaker Prime Minister
23 May 2006 19 September 2006 119 days Thai Rak Thai
Sonthi Boonyaratglin
(1946–)
19 September 2006 1 October 2006 12 days Military Council for National Security
Surayud Chulanont
(1943–)
1 October 2006 29 January 2008 1 year, 120 days Independent Surayud National Assembly V (2006)
Samak Sundaravej
(1935–2009)
29 January 2008 8 September 2008 224 days People's Power Samak XXIII (2007)
Somchai Wongsawat
(1947–)
8 September 2008 18 September 2008 9 days People's Power
18 September 2008 2 December 2008 84 days People's Power Somchai
Chaovarat Chanweerakul
(1936–)
Acting Prime Minister
2 December 2008 15 December 2008 15 days Independent
Abhisit Vejjajiva
(1964–)
17 December 2008 5 August 2011 2 years, 231 days Democrat Abhisit
Yingluck Shinawatra
(1967–)
5 August 2011 7 May 2014 2 years, 275 days Pheu Thai Yingluck XXIV (2011)
Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan
(1948–)
Acting Prime Minister
7 May 2014 22 May 2014 15 days Pheu Thai ——
Prayut Chan-o-cha
(1954–)
22 May 2014 24 August 2014 94 days Military National Council for Peace and Order
24 August 2014[2] Incumbent 2 years, 105 days Independent Prayut National Assembly VI (2014)
King
Vajiralongkorn
(2016–)

Timeline

Prayut Chan-o-cha Yingluck Shinawatra Abhisit Vejjajiva Somchai Wongsawat Samak Sundaravej Surayud Chulanont Thaksin Shinawatra Chuan Leekpai Banharn Silpa-archa Chuan Leekpai Anand Panyarachun Suchinda Kraprayoon Anand Panyarachun Chatichai Choonhavan Prem Tinsulanonda Kriangsak Chamanan Thanin Kraivichien Seni Pramoj Kukrit Pramoj Seni Pramoj Sanya Dharmasakti Thanom Kittikachorn Sarit Thanarat Thanom Kittikachorn Pote Sarasin Plaek Phibunsongkhram Khuang Aphaiwong Thawan Thamrongnawasawat Pridi Banomyong Khuang Aphaiwong Seni Pramoj Tawee Boonyaket Khuang Aphaiwong Plaek Phibunsongkhram Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena Phraya Manopakorn Nititada

Living former Prime Ministers

NameTerm of officeDate of birthPolitical party
Thanin Kraivichien 1976–1977 5 April 1927 non-partisan
Prem Tinsulanonda 1980–1988 26 August 1920 Military
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
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh 1996–1997 15 May 1932 New Aspiration Party
Thaksin Shinawatra 2001–2006 26 July 1949 Thai Rak Thai
Surayud Chulanont 2006–2008 28 August 1943 non-partisan (Military)
Somchai Wongsawat 2008 31 August 1947 People's Power Party
Abhisit Vejjajiva 2008–2011 3 August 1964 Democrat Party
Yingluck Shinawatra 2011–2014 21 June 1967 Pheu Thai Party

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prime ministers of Thailand.

References

Citations
  1. Thak Chaloemtiarana (2007), Thailand: The Politics of Despotic Paternalism, Ithaca NY: Cornell Southeast Asia Program, p. 88, ISBN 978-0-8772-7742-2
  2. ประกาศแต่งตั้งนายกรัฐมนตรี ลงวันที่ 24 สิงหาคม 2557 [Proclamation on Appointment of Prime Minister dated 24 August 2014] (pdf). Royal Thai Government Gazette (in Thai). Bangkok: Cabinet Secretariat. 131, Special Part 159 D: 1. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
Links

External links

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