Prawit Wongsuwan

Prawit Wongsuwan
Name	Prawit Wongsuwan
Native name	ประวิตร วงษ์สุวรรณ
Office	Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
Term start	10 July 2019
Term end	1 September 2023
Office2	Minister of Defence
Term start2	10 July 2019
Term end2	1 September 2023
Birth date	11 August 1945
Birth place	Bangkok, Thailand
Party	Palang Pracharath Party
Profession	Royal Thai Army officer

Prawit Wongsuwan

Prawit Wongsuwan is a Thai retired Royal Thai Army general and politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence in cabinets of Prayut Chan-o-cha and later administrations. He is widely known for his long military career within the Royal Thai Army, his role during the 2014 Thai coup d'état, leadership within the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), and his influence in Thai politics through ties to military and political networks including the Palang Pracharath Party and the Network of Unified National Security circles.

Early life and education

Born in Bangkok in 1945, Prawit attended Saint Gabriel's College before entering military service through the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy system, where he joined the same cohort as contemporaries who rose to prominence in the Royal Thai Army. He completed advanced professional military education at institutions such as the Command and General Staff College (Thailand) and attended courses linked to international military education programs with contacts in militaries like the United States Army and regional counterparts from Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

Military career

Prawit rose through the ranks of the Royal Thai Army, serving in units connected to key power centers such as the 1st Army Area (Thailand) and staff positions within the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. He held command positions in armoured and logistical formations and later served as Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, where he developed working relationships with figures from the Palace, the Ministry of Defence (Thailand), and senior officers who later took part in political interventions, including the 2006 and 2014 coup networks. His career intersected with other senior officers from the Class 7 (Chulachomklao) and contemporaries associated with the Eastern Tigers and other factional groupings within the Royal Thai Army.

Political career

Transitioning from uniform to office, Prawit occupied several ministerial and advisory roles, including appointments as Minister of Defence under administrations led by Abhisit Vejjajiva and later in military-led cabinets. He became a central figure in alliances with parties like the Palang Pracharath Party, and acted as a power broker among conservative and royalist political actors such as members of the Democrat Party (Thailand), Chartthaipattana Party, and technocrats tied to the National Legislative Assembly (Thailand). His network extended into provincial political machines in Nakhon Ratchasima and Bangkok elites linked to the Privy Council of Thailand.

Role in the 2014 coup and junta (NCPO)

During the 2014 Thai coup d'état, Prawit was a prominent member of the National Council for Peace and Order, the junta that deposed the Yingluck Shinawatra government, and he served alongside Prayut Chan-o-cha and other coup leaders from the Royal Thai Army. Within the NCPO he was involved in strategic security decisions, public communications with institutions such as the Royal Thai Police and the Ministry of Interior (Thailand), and supervision of transitional governance structures including the National Legislative Assembly (Thailand) and interim mechanisms that oversaw constitutional drafting processes connected to the Constitution of Thailand (2017).

Tenure as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence

As Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence in cabinets formed after the 2019 election, Prawit oversaw defence policy implementation, procurement programs with partners like United States Department of Defense contractors and regional suppliers from China and Singapore, and coordination with agencies such as the National Security Council (Thailand). His portfolio included counterinsurgency coordination in the Southern Thailand insurgency, cooperation with the Royal Thai Navy and Royal Thai Air Force on maritime security in the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea, and interaction with international counterparts including defence ministers from Japan, Australia, and India.

Allegations, controversies and controversies over assets

Prawit's public career has been marked by allegations and controversies, particularly disputes over asset declarations and luxury items that drew scrutiny from bodies like the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Thailand), the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand, and media outlets such as Bangkok Post and The Nation (Thailand). Investigations and parliamentary inquiries focused on timeframes of declarations and the origins of high-value possessions, prompting debates in Thai legal and political forums involving actors such as opposition parties, human rights NGOs, and international observers monitoring governance standards and Anti-Corruption practices in Thailand.

Personal life and honors

Prawit is married and has family connections active in business and public life, with social ties to figures in the Royal Household of Thailand and Bangkok social circles. He has been awarded numerous Thai and foreign honors, including decorations from the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand, and military honors exchanged during visits with counterparts from nations such as the United States, China, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia. He has participated in ceremonial events at institutions like the Grand Palace and military commemorations associated with the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.

Category:Thai military personnel Category:Thai politicians Category:1945 births Category:Living people