Prime Minister of Thailand: Difference between revisions

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
นายกรัฐมนตรีแห่งราชอาณาจักรไทย
	Prime Ministerial Seal
	Prime Ministerial Standard
	Incumbent; Srettha Thavisin; since 22 August 2023;
	Office of the Prime Minister; Royal Thai Government
Style	His Excellency
Status	Head of government
Member of	Royal Thai Cabinet; National Security Council; Internal Security Operations Command;
Reports to	National Assembly
Residence	Phitsanulok Mansion
Seat	Government House
Appointer	Monarch
Term length	Same as the term of the House of Representatives (4 years), no more than 8 years total
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Thailand
Formation	28 June 1932; 92 years ago
First holder	Phraya Manopakorn Nitithada
Deputy	Deputy Prime Minister
Salary	฿125,590/US$ 3,638 monthly
Website	www.thaigov.go.th

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 07:13, 10 October 2023

The prime minister of Thailand (Thai: นายกรัฐมนตรี, RTGS: Nayok Ratthamontri, pronounced [nāː.jók rát.tʰā.mōn.trīː]; literally 'chief minister of state') is the head of government of Thailand. The prime minister is also the chair of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy. Prior to the 2014 coup d'état, the prime minister was nominated by a vote in the Thai House of Representatives by a simple majority, and is then appointed and sworn-in by the king of Thailand. The house's selection is usually based on the fact that either the prime minister is the leader of the largest political party in the lower house or the leader of the largest coalition of parties. In accordance with the 2017 Constitution, the Prime Minister can hold the office for no longer than eight years, consecutively or not. The post of Prime Minister is currently held by Pheu Thai Party politician and former CEO of Sansiri, Srettha Thavisin.

History

The office of the "President of the People's Committee" (ประธานคณะกรรมการราษฎร), later changed to "Prime Minister of Siam" (นายกรัฐมนตรีสยาม), was first created in the Temporary Constitution of 1932. The office was modeled after the prime minister of the United Kingdom, as Siam became a parliamentary democracy in 1932 after a bloodless revolution. However, the idea of a separate head of government in Thailand is not new.

Prior to 1932, Thailand was ruled by absolute monarchs, who acted as both the head of state and the government. However, during the middle and latter reigns of the Chakri Dynasty, several individuals were perceived to hold a post equivalent to a head of government. During the reign of King Mongkut, Somdet Chao Phraya Si Suriyawongse had a very significant role in an otherwise absolutist system. During the reign of King Chulalongkorn, Prince Damrong Rajanubhab took over this role. In fact, the office most considered the precursor of that of the prime minister was the ancient office of Samuha Nayok (สมุหนายก), which was run by an Akkhra Maha Senabodi (อัครมหาเสนาบดี) or "chief minister in charge of civilian affairs".

The first prime minister of Siam was Phraya Manopakorn Nititada, a judge. The title of the office was changed from "Prime Minister of Siam" to "Prime Minister of Thailand" in 1945 and then permanently with the renaming of Siam to Thailand in 1949. For most of its existence, the office has been occupied by Army leaders; sixteen out of thirty. Military dominance began with the country's second prime minister, Phot Phahonyothin, who ousted his civilian predecessor in a coup in 1933. The longest-serving prime minister was Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram at 14 years, 11 months, and 18 days. The shortest was Tawee Boonyaket at just 18 days.^[4] Nine were removed by coups d'état, three were disqualified by court order, and eleven resigned from office. The youngest ever to occupy office was M.R. Seni Pramoj at 40 years old. Thailand received its first female prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, in 2011. Every prime minister since Manopakorn Nititada has been Buddhist.

The current 2017 constitution states that the Prime Minister shall hold the office for no longer than eight years, consecutively or not. The term limit was the subject of legal challenge in 2022 after there were debates of how to count the term.^[5] The Constitutional Court ruled 6–3 that the term would be counted from the promulgation of the 2017 constitution, so that Prayut Chan-o-cha was allowed to continue his premiership despite having held the position since the 2014 coup.^[6]

Appointment

The prime minister of the Kingdom of Thailand must be a member of the House of Representatives.^[7] Therefore, the qualifications for the office of prime minister are the same as the qualifications for membership in the house.

Prior to the 2014 coup d'état, to be appointed, the nominee for the office must have the support of one-fifth of the members of the House of Representatives. Then after a simple majority vote in the house, a resolution will be passed and submitted to the king, who will then make a formal appointment by giving his royal assent to the resolution. This must take place within thirty days after the beginning of the first session of the House of Representatives after an election. If no candidate can be found within this time period, then it is the duty of the president of the National Assembly of Thailand to submit the name considered most worthy for the king to formalize.

The nominee and eventual prime minister is always the leader of the largest political party in the lower house or the leader of the majority coalition formed after an election.

Under the junta, until 2019, the nominee for the office was selected by National Legislative Assembly, with the House of Representatives having been abolished. Under the constitution written by the junta, the prime minister is currently appointed by the full National Assembly, including the military-appointed Senate

Function

The prime minister is the de facto chair of the Cabinet of Thailand. The appointment and removal of ministers can only be made with their advice. As the leader of the government, the prime minister is therefore ultimately responsible for the failings and performance of their ministers and the government as a whole. The prime minister cannot hold office for a consecutive period of more than eight years. As the most visible member of the government, the prime minister represents the country abroad and is the main spokesperson for the government at home. The prime minister must, under the constitution, lead the cabinet in announcing the government's policy statement in front of a joint session of the National Assembly, within fifteen days of being sworn in.^[8]

The prime minister is also directly responsible for many departments. These include the National Intelligence Agency, the Bureau of the Budget, the Office of the National Security Council, the Office of the Council of State, the Office of the Civil Service Commission, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board, the Office of Public Sector Development Commission, and the Internal Security Operations Command. Legislatively all money bills introduced in the National Assembly must require the prime minister's approval.

The prime minister can be removed by a vote of no confidence. This process can be evoked, firstly with the vote of only one-fifth of the members of the House of Representatives for a debate on the matter. Then after the debate a vote is taken and with a simple majority the prime minister can be removed. This process cannot be repeated within one parliamentary session.

Office and residence

The prime minister is aided in his work by the Office of the Prime Minister (สำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี) a cabinet-level department headed usually by two ministers of state. These offices are housed in the Government House of Thailand (ทำเนียบรัฐบาล) in the Dusit area of Bangkok.

The official residence of the prime minister is the Phitsanulok Mansion (บ้านพิษณุโลก), in the center of Bangkok. The mansion was built during the reign of King Vajiravudh. It became an official residence in 1979. The mansion is rumored to have many ghosts, therefore most prime ministers live in their private residences and only use the house for official business.^[9]^[10]

Deputy prime ministers

Several deputy prime ministers of Thailand (รองนายกรัฐมนตรี) can be appointed. This position can be combined with other ministerial portfolios.

Office (Another office)	Name	Appointment
Deputy Prime Minister (Minister of Interior)	Anutin Charnvirakul	10 July 2019
Deputy Prime Minister (Minister of Commerce)	Phumtham Wechyachai	1 September 2023
Deputy Prime Minister	Somsak Thepsuthin	1 September 2023
Deputy Prime Minister (Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment)	Police General Patcharawat Wongsuwan	1 September 2023
Deputy Prime Minister (Minister of Energy)	Pirapan Salirathavibhaga	1 September 2023
Deputy Prime Minister (Minister of Foreign Affairs)	Panpree Phahitthanukorn	1 September 2023

List of prime ministers

Flags of the prime minister

Flag of the prime minister of Thailand 1936–1939
Flag of the prime minister of Thailand 1939–1979
Flag of the prime minister of Thailand 1979–present

References

^ ประกาศแต่งตั้งนายกรัฐมนตรี ลงวันที่ 22 สิงหาคม 2566 Archived 23 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine ราชกิจจานุเบกษา เล่ม ๑๔๐ ตอนพิเศษ ๒๐๑ ง หน้า ๑ วันที่ ๒๓ สิงหาคม พ.ศ. ๒๕๖๖
^ "Unofficial Translation Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand" (PDF). Retrieved 26 August 2022.
^ Nanuam, Wassana. "PM, cabinet to offer their salaries to Covid sufferers". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
^ ที่สุด! ที่สุด! ของนายกรัฐมนตรี และคณะรัฐมนตรีไทย (in Thai). Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
^ "Prayuth Chan-ocha: Thai court suspends PM and coup leader". BBC News. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
^ Wongcha-um, Panu; Thepgumpanat, Panarat (30 September 2022). "Thai court clears way for PM Prayuth's return from suspension". Reuters. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
^ 2007 Constitution of Thailand
^ "Thai PM speech off amid protests". BBC News. 29 December 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
^ A Thai Ghost Story by Christopher G. Moore
^ Chuan takes a home with haunting history

External links

Official Website, the website for the Royal Thai Government
History of Thai Prime Ministers, a detailed list of Prime Ministers

[1] ประกาศแต่งตั้งนายกรัฐมนตรี ลงวันที่ 22 สิงหาคม 2566 Archived 23 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine ราชกิจจานุเบกษา เล่ม ๑๔๐ ตอนพิเศษ ๒๐๑ ง หน้า ๑ วันที่ ๒๓ สิงหาคม พ.ศ. ๒๕๖๖

[2] "Unofficial Translation Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand" (PDF). Retrieved 26 August 2022.

[3] Nanuam, Wassana. "PM, cabinet to offer their salaries to Covid sufferers". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 3 November 2021.

[4] ที่สุด! ที่สุด! ของนายกรัฐมนตรี และคณะรัฐมนตรีไทย (in Thai). Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.

[5] "Prayuth Chan-ocha: Thai court suspends PM and coup leader". BBC News. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.

[:1-6] Wongcha-um, Panu; Thepgumpanat, Panarat (30 September 2022). "Thai court clears way for PM Prayuth's return from suspension". Reuters. Retrieved 30 July 2023.

[7] 2007 Constitution of Thailand

[8] "Thai PM speech off amid protests". BBC News. 29 December 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2010.

[9] A Thai Ghost Story by Christopher G. Moore

[10] Chuan takes a home with haunting history

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 | appointer = [[Monarchy of Thailand|Monarch]]
 | appointer_qualified =
+| termlength = Same as the term of the House of Representatives (4 years), no more than 8 years total<ref>{{cite news |title= Unofficial Translation Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand | url=https://cdc.parliament.go.th/draftconstitution2/download/article/article_20180829093502.pdf |access-date=26 August 2022}}</ref>
-| termlength = Four years
+| termlength_qualified =
-| termlength_qualified = No more than eight years in total<ref>{{cite news |title= Unofficial Translation Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand | url=https://cdc.parliament.go.th/draftconstitution2/download/article/article_20180829093502.pdf |access-date=26 August 2022}}</ref>
 | constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Thailand]]
 | precursor =

v t e Royal Thai Government
Constitution of Thailand list
Monarchy	King of Thailand list Crown Prince Privy Council
Executive	Prime Minister of Thailand list Deputy Prime Minister Council of Ministers of Thailand
Legislative	National Assembly Senate House of Representatives
Judicial	Constitutional Court Supreme Court Criminal Court Administrative Court Military Court
Ministries	Office of the Prime Minister Agriculture and Cooperatives Commerce Culture Defence Armed Forces Army Navy Air Force Education Energy Finance Foreign Affairs Digital Economy and Society Industry Interior Justice Labour Natural Resources and Environment Public Health Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Social Development and Human Security Tourism and Sport Transport
Constitutional organizations	Office of the Election Commission Office of the Ombudsman National Anti-Corruption Commission State Audit Commission Office of the Attorney General National Human Rights Commission of Thailand
Independent departments	Bureau of the Royal Household National Office of Buddhism Office of the Royal Development Projects Board Office of the National Research Council of Thailand Royal Society Royal Thai Police Anti-Money Laundering Office
Independent organisations	Bank of Thailand Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission Office of Insurance Commission Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission Thai Public Broadcasting Service Deposit Protection Agency Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission
Thailand portal WikiProject Commons Category

v t e Prime ministers of Thailand (list)
Prajadhipok	Phraya Manopakorn Nitithada Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena
Ananda Mahidol	Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena Plaek Phibunsongkhram Khuang Aphaiwong Thawi Bunyaket Seni Pramoj Khuang Aphaiwong Pridi Banomyong
Bhumibol Adulyadej	Pridi Banomyong Thawan Thamrongnawasawat Khuang Aphaiwong Plaek Phibunsongkhram Pote Sarasin Thanom Kittikachorn Sarit Thanarat Thanom Kittikachorn Sanya Dharmasakti Seni Pramoj Kukrit Pramoj Seni Pramoj Thanin Kraivichien Kriangsak Chamanan Prem Tinsulanonda Chatichai Choonhavan Anand Panyarachun Suchinda Kraprayoon Meechai Ruchuphan† Anand Panyarachun Chuan Leekpai Banharn Silpa-archa Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Chuan Leekpai Thaksin Shinawatra Chitchai Wannasathit† Thaksin Shinawatra Surayud Chulanont Samak Sundaravej Somchai Wongsawat Chavarat Charnvirakul† Abhisit Vejjajiva Yingluck Shinawatra Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan† Prayut Chan-o-cha
Vajiralongkorn	Prayut Chan-o-cha Prawit Wongsuwon† Prayut Chan-o-cha Srettha Thavisin Phumtham Wechayachai† Paetongtarn Shinawatra
"italics" indicate military officeholders "†" indicate acting or caretaker officeholders.

v t e Lists related to prime ministers of Thailand
Main	List of prime ministers of Thailand
Rankings	Time in office
Personal life	Education Spouses
Deputies	Deputy prime ministers

v t e Leaders of Southeast Asian countries
Heads of state	Brunei (Monarch) Cambodia (Monarch) East Timor (President) Indonesia (President) (list) Laos (President) Malaysia (Monarch) Myanmar (President) (list) Philippines (President) (list) Singapore (President) Thailand (Monarch) (list) Vietnam (President) (list)
Heads of government	Brunei Cambodia (list) East Timor Indonesia (list) Laos Malaysia Myanmar (list) Philippines (list) Singapore (list) Thailand (list) Vietnam (list)
Supreme leaders	Laos Myanmar Vietnam
Defunct heads of state and government	Burma (Monarch) Dutch East Indies (Governor-General) Indonesia (Prime Minister) Laos (Monarch) Myanmar (State Counsellor) Philippines (Governor-General) (Prime Minister) South Vietnam (leaders)
ASEAN