Surayud Chulanont
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Surayud Chulanont TCW MPCh MWM PC |
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| สุรยุทธ์ จุลานนท์ | |
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| 24th Prime Minister of Thailand | |
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In office 1 October 2006 – 29 January 2008 |
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| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Preceded by | Sonthi Boonyaratglin (President of the Administrative Reform Council) |
| Succeeded by | Samak Sundaravej |
| Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces | |
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In office 1 October 2002 – 30 September 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Narong Yuthavong |
| Succeeded by | Somtat Attanand |
| Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army | |
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In office 1 October 1998 – 30 September 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Chettha Thannajaro |
| Succeeded by | Somtat Attanand |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
28 August 1943 Prachinburi, Thailand |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Chitravadee Chulanont |
| Alma mater | National Defence College of Thailand |
| Profession | Soldier |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | Royal Thai Army |
| Rank |
 General
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| Commands |
Commander-in-Chief Supreme Commander |
| Battles/wars |
Communist Insurgencies Black May Operation Pochentong 1 War on Drugs |
General (ret.) Surayud Chulanont (Thai: สุรยุทธ์ จุลานนท์, RTGS: Surayut Chulanon; born 28 August 1943) is a Thai politician. He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's interim government between 2006 and 2008. He is a former Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Army, and currently Privy Councilor to King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Surayud came from a military family, but Surayud's father defected from the Royal Thai Army to the Communist Party of Thailand when Surayud was a young boy. Surayud joined the Thai Army and rose to power as a close aide to General Prem Tinsulanonda. He commanded troops during Bloody May, the violent 1992 crackdown on anti-government protestors, but he denied giving his men the order to shoot protesters. He was promoted to Army Commander during the government of Chuan Leekpai and was promoted to Supreme Commander in 2003, under the government of Thaksin Shinawatra. Upon retirement from the Army, King Bhumibol Adulyadej appointed Surayud to his Privy Council of personal advisors. Surayud and Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda played a key role in the promotion of General Sonthi Boonratklin to the position of Army Commander.
General Sonthi overthrew the government of Thaksin Shinawatra in a coup on 19 September 2006 and afterwards implored Surayud to be the head of interim government. Surayud's government was a controversial one. There was a significant worsening in perceived levels of corruption during his government. Surayud's Deputy Finance Minister, Sommai Pasee, was sentenced to jail for abuse of power. Surayud raised the military budget by 35% and was accused of economic mismanagement, rampant human rights abuses, and flip-flopping on numerous policies. Article 19 ranked Thailand as falling behind Cambodia and Indonesia in terms of freedom of expression. Thailand's economic growth rate slowed to the lowest level in five years and was ranked the lowest in the region. However, Surayud was praised for apologising for atrocities committed by the Thai military fighting the South Thailand insurgency, although the apology was accompanied by a sharp escalation in violence. He has been accused of forest reserve encroachment (a charge that was not investigated since the statute of limitations had run out by 2 years) and illegally acquiring train carriages for display in his forest home. He is married to Chitravadi Santhadwet Chulanont (Thai: จิตรวดี สันทัดเวช) and has three sons, Captain Non, Khao, and Nam.
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