List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters

Chief of the Defence Forces ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด
Standard of the supreme commander
Incumbent General Sommai Kaotira since 1 October 2015
Nominator	Minister of Defense
Appointer	HM the King
Inaugural holder	Plaek Phibunsongkhram
Formation	13 November 1940
Website	Commands HQ commanders

The Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters or the Chief of the Defence Forces (Thai: ผู้บัญชาการกองทัพไทย) is the overall field commander of Royal Thai Armed Forces. He is also in charge of managing the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. Prior to 1960 the post was an ad hoc creation by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, during the Second World War. However under Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajata the position became permanent, and in its early life was even combined with the post of Prime Minister of Thailand. In February 2008 the name of the post was changed from Supreme Commander of the Supreme Command HQ (ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด) to the Commander of the RTAFHQ or Chief of the Defence Forces (ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุดประจำกองบัญชาการกองทัพไทย). The current commander is General Sommai Kaotira since 2015.

Supreme Commander

Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, the first Supreme Commander of the Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.

No.	Name	Term begins	Term ends	Branch
1	Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram	13 November 1940	30 April 1941	Royal Thai Army
		12 November 1941	24 November 1943
2	Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat	27 September 1957	8 December 1963	Royal Thai Army
3	Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn	11 December 1963	30 September 1973	Royal Thai Army
4	Air Chief Marshal Dawee Chullasapya	1 October 1973	30 September 1974	Royal Thai Air Force
5	General Krit Srivara	1 October 1974	30 September 1975	Royal Thai Army
6	Admiral Sangad Chaloryu	1 October 1975	30 September 1976	Royal Thai Navy
7	Air Chief Marshal Kamon Dachatungkha	1 October 1976	30 September 1977	Royal Thai Air Force
8	General Kriangsak Chomanan	1 October 1977	30 September 1978	Royal Thai Army
9	General Serm na Nakhon	1 October 1979	30 September 1981	Royal Thai Army
10	General Saiyud Kerdphol	1 October 1981	30 September 1983	Royal Thai Army
11	General Arthit Kamlang-ek	1 October 1983	30 September 1986	Royal Thai Army
12	Admiral Supha Gajaseni	1 October 1986	30 September 1987	Royal Thai Navy
13	General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh	1 October 1987	31 March 1990	Royal Thai Army
14	General Sunthorn Kongsompong	1 April 1990	30 September 1991	Royal Thai Army
15	General Suchinda Kraprayoon	1 October 1991	4 April 1992	Royal Thai Army
16	Air Chief Marshal Kaset Rojananin	6 April 1992	31 July 1992	Royal Thai Air Force
17	Air Chief Marshal Voranat Aphichari	1 August 1992	30 September 1994	Royal Thai Air Force
18	General Watanachai Wootisiri	1 October 1994	30 September 1995	Royal Thai Army
19	General Viroj Sangsanit	1 October 1995	30 September 1996	Royal Thai Army
20	General Mongkon Amphornpisit	1 October 1996	30 September 2000	Royal Thai Army
21	General Somphao Chusri	1 October 2000	30 September 2001	Royal Thai Army
22	Admiral Narong Yuthavong	1 October 2001	30 September 2002	Royal Thai Navy
23	General Surayud Chulanont	1 October 2002	30 September 2003	Royal Thai Army
24	General Somtat Attanand	1 October 2003	30 September 2004	Royal Thai Army
25	General Chaiyasit Shinawatra	1 October 2004	30 September 2005	Royal Thai Army
26	General Ruangroj Mahasaranon	1 October 2005	30 September 2006	Royal Thai Army
27	General Boonsrang Niumpradit	1 October 2006	30 September 2008	Royal Thai Army

Chief of the Defence Forces

General Songkitti Jaggabatara, First Chief of the Defence Forces (ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด)

No.	Name	Term begins	Term ends	Branch
28	General Songkitti Jaggabatara	1 October 2008	30 September 2011	Royal Thai Army
29	General Tanasak Patimapragorn	1 October 2011	30 September 2014	Royal Thai Army
30	General Worapong Sanganetra	1 October 2014	30 September 2015	Royal Thai Army
31	General Sommai Kaotira	1 October 2015	Incumbent	Royal Thai Army

See also

• Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
• Royal Thai Armed Forces
• List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Army
• List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Navy
• List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Air Force
• Chief of Defence

References

• [1] (Dead Link)