Chief of Defence Forces (Thailand)

Chief of Defence Forces
ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด
Flag of the Chief of Defence Forces
Incumbent General Songwit Noonpakdee since 1 October 2023
Ministry of Defence
Member of	RTARF HQ
Reports to	Minister of Defence
Seat	Lak Si, Bangkok
Nominator	Minister of Defence
Appointer	King of Thailand
Formation	13 November 1940
First holder	Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram
Website	Official website

The Chief of Defence Forces, previously known as the Supreme Commander, (Thai: ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด) is the overall field commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. He is also in charge of managing the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters (abbreviated as the RTARF HQ). Not to be confused with the ceremonial Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces who is the constitutional Head of State and Monarch of Thailand.

Prior to 1960 the post was an ad hoc creation by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, during World War II. However, under Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat the position became permanent, and in its early life was even combined with the post of Prime Minister of Thailand. In February 2008 the English name of the post was changed from Supreme Commander to Chief of Defence Forces with the reorganization of the Supreme Command Headquarters into the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters (though the Thai term remained the same).

The enactment of 1997 Constitution of Thailand on 11 October 1997 prohibits double-hatting of this position and each service branch commander-in-chief, the general officer appointed to the Chief of Defence Forces after the date acts more like a coordinator between three military branches. Still, he commands smaller military force than the Army, the Navy, or the Air Force has. So, the position is usually reserved for senior army generals who will not be appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army and will retire on the same year with the latter. It is customary to appoint the chief of defence to four-star rank in all three branches in the Armed Forces for inspection of other branches of the Armed Forces.

The current commander is General Chalermpol Srisawat since October 2020.

List of chiefs

Supreme Commanders (1941−2008)

No.	Portrait	Supreme Commander	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch
Temporary command during the Franco-Thai War
1		Major General Plaek Phibunsongkhram (1897–1964)	13 November 1940	30 April 1941	168 days	Royal Thai Army
Temporary command during the Pacific War
(1)		Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (1897–1964)	12 November 1941	24 November 1943	2 years, 12 days	Royal Thai Army
Permanent command
2		Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat (1908–1963)	27 September 1957	8 December 1963 †	6 years, 72 days	Royal Thai Army
3		Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn (1911–2004)	11 December 1963	30 September 1973	9 years, 293 days	Royal Thai Army
4		Air Chief Marshal Dawee Chullasapya (1914–1996)	1 October 1973	30 September 1974	364 days	Royal Thai Air Force
5		General Kris Sivara (1914–1976)	1 October 1974	30 September 1975	364 days	Royal Thai Army
6		Admiral Sangad Chaloryu (1915–1980)	1 October 1975	30 September 1976	365 days	Royal Thai Navy
7		Air Chief Marshal Kamon Dachatungkha	1 October 1976	30 September 1977	364 days	Royal Thai Air Force
8		General Kriangsak Chamanan (1917–2003)	1 October 1977	30 September 1978	364 days	Royal Thai Army
9		General Serm Na Nagara	1 October 1979	30 September 1981	1 year, 364 days	Royal Thai Army
10		General Saiyud Kerdphol	1 October 1981	30 September 1983	1 year, 364 days	Royal Thai Army
11		General Arthit Kamlang-ek (1925–2015)	1 October 1983	31 August 1986	2 years, 334 days	Royal Thai Army
12		Admiral Supa Gajaseni	1 September 1986	30 September 1987	1 year, 29 days	Royal Thai Navy
13		General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh (born 1932)	1 October 1987	31 March 1990	2 years, 181 days	Royal Thai Army
14		General Sunthorn Kongsompong (1931–1999)	1 April 1990	30 September 1991	1 year, 182 days	Royal Thai Army
15		General Suchinda Kraprayoon (born 1933)	1 October 1991	4 April 1992	186 days	Royal Thai Army
16		Air Chief Marshal Kaset Rojananil (born 1933)	6 April 1992	31 July 1992	116 days	Royal Thai Air Force
17		Air Chief Marshal Voranat Aphichari	1 August 1992	30 September 1994	2 years, 60 days	Royal Thai Air Force
18		General Watanachai Wootisiri	1 October 1994	30 September 1995	364 days	Royal Thai Army
19		General Viroj Sangsanit	1 October 1995	30 September 1996	365 days	Royal Thai Army
20		General Mongkon Amphornpisit	1 October 1996	30 September 2000	3 years, 365 days	Royal Thai Army
21		General Somphao Chusri	1 October 2000	30 September 2001	364 days	Royal Thai Army
22		Admiral Narong Yuthavong	1 October 2001	30 September 2002	364 days	Royal Thai Navy
23		General Surayud Chulanont (born 1943)	1 October 2002	30 September 2003	364 days	Royal Thai Army
24		General Somtat Attanand	1 October 2003	30 September 2004	365 days	Royal Thai Army
25		General Chaiyasit Shinawatra (born 1945)	1 October 2004	30 September 2005	364 days	Royal Thai Army
26		General Ruangroj Mahasaranon (born 1946)	1 October 2005	30 September 2006	364 days	Royal Thai Army
27		General Boonsrang Niumpradit (born 1948)	1 October 2006	30 September 2008	1 year, 365 days	Royal Thai Army

Chiefs of Defence Forces (2008−present)

No.	Portrait	Chief of Defence Forces	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch
28		General Songkitti Jaggabatara (born 1950)	1 October 2008	30 September 2011	2 years, 364 days	Royal Thai Army
29		General Thanasak Patimaprakorn (born 1953)	1 October 2011	30 September 2014	2 years, 364 days	Royal Thai Army
30		General Worapong Sanganetra (born 1955)	1 October 2014	30 September 2015	364 days	Royal Thai Army
31		General Sommai Kaotira (born 1956)	1 October 2015	30 September 2016	365 days	Royal Thai Army
32		General Surapong Suwana-adth (born 1956)	1 October 2016	30 September 2017	365 days	Royal Thai Army
33		General Thanchaiyan Srisuwan (born 1958)	1 October 2017	30 September 2018	364 days	Royal Thai Army
34		General Pornpipat Benyasri (born 1960)	1 October 2018	30 September 2020	1 year, 365 days	Royal Thai Army
35		General Chalermpol Srisawat (born 1963)	1 October 2020	30 September 2023	2 years, 364 days	Royal Thai Army
36		General Songwit Noonpakdee (born 1965)	1 October 2023	Incumbent	89 days	Royal Thai Army

See also

• Royal Thai Armed Forces
• Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces
• List of commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army
• List of commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy
• List of commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force