Surapong Suwana-adth

General
Surapong Suwana-adth
MPCh MWM
สุรพงษ์ สุวรรณอัตถ์
General Surapong in 2017
Chiefs of Defence Forces
In office
1 October 2016 – 30 September 2017
Preceded bySommai Kaotira
Succeeded byThanchaiyan Srisuwan
Personal details
Born28 December 1956
Bangkok, Thailand
Education
Alma mater
Military service
AllegianceThailand
Branch/serviceRoyal Thai Army
Rank
Commands21st Infantry Regiment
Chief of Joint Staff
Chief of Defence Forces

Surapong Suwana-adth (Thai: สุรพงษ์ สุวรรณอัตถ์; born 28 December 1956) is a Thai military officer who formerly served as Chief of Defence Forces.

Education

Surapong attending the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School as a pre-cadet as a prerequisite for attending Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA).

Surapong obtained his Master of Military Art and Science (M.M.A.S.) from the United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) in 1994; Physics in University of Virginia (M.S.); Physics in Virginia Military Institute (B.S.); and once again attended CGSC in 2017.

Career

Surapong's major positions included being the Chief of Joint Staff at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters (RTARF) from 2015 to 2016; Chief of Defence Force at the RTARF from 2016 to 2017; Member of the National Legislative Assembly from 2014 to 2019; Chairman of TOT PCL from 2014 to 2019.

On 1 October 2016, Surapong was appointed as the 32nd Chief of Defense Forces. Through a variety of initiatives, such as bilateral drills like Exercise Kocha Singa and multilateral exercises like Exercise Cobra Gold, military-to-military relations of Singapore and Thailand have improved under his direction. At the IPU-UN Regional Conference on 3 October 2019, as a senator and a representative of the Thai parliament, he discussed the legislative branch's duty to highlight the UN Countering Terrorist Travel Program and the need to assist the government, which is the administrative branch, in joining the program.

Honours

On 11 July 2017 at the Lewis and Clark Center, he was admitted into the International Hall of Fame by the Command and General Staff College. Prior to this, he was awarded the Eisenhower Award in 1994.

National

  • Knight Grand Cross of Order of the White Elephant (MPCh; 2014)
  • Knight Grand Cordon of Order of the Crown of Thailand (MVM; 2011)
  • Freemen Safeguarding Medal Second Class (SCh2/2)
  • Border Service Medal (ChD)
  • Chakra Mala Medal (RChM)
  • Royal Thai Army Parachute Wings Badge
  • Royal Thai Army Ranger Badge

Foreign