Sonthi Boonyaratglin (, , ; born 2 October 1946) is a Thai former general who was Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army and former head of the Council for Democratic Reform, the military junta that ruled the kingdom.Thai coup general quits position , BBC He was the first Muslim in charge of the army of the mostly Buddhist country. Defense News On 19 September 2006, he became the de facto head of government of Thailand after overthrowing the elected government in a coup d'état.Thailand Reinterprets the Rules of Democracy, Again nyctimes After retiring from the Army in 2007, he became deputy prime minister, in charge of national security.
Sonthi is a multimillionaire and has two wives, Sukanya and Piyada, despite legal prohibitions against bigamy.The Nation, Anti-coup group calls for Sonthis' sacking for allegedly registering two marriages , 31 December 2006The Nation, Multiple wives just 'personal' business , 31 December 2006ADN Kronos, Thailand: Coup leader a multimillionaire, media reports , 27 November 2007
Education and early career Sonthi Boonyaratglin graduated from the 6th Class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School. He graduated from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in 1969 as part of Class 17 and was commissioned into the Royal Army Infantry Corps. He went on to lead several top units, including the elite Special Warfare Command based in Lopburi province.The Star, Sonthi's meteoric ascent to power , 21 September 2006
In August 2004, Sonthi was appointed Deputy Army Commander.Thailand's military reshuffle officially announced People's Daily Online Against public expectations, Sonthi was promoted to Army Commander in October 2005. Sonthi's fast rise was backed by retired armed forces Supreme Commander General Surayud Chulanont (with whom he had served while leading the Special Warfare Command and Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda).The Nation, WARNING FROM SURAYUD: Thaksin's return 'a threat' , 28 September 2006 Both serve as advisers to King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He later received a doctor's degree in political science from the open-admission Ramkhamhaeng University.
Conflicts with Thaksin Shinawatra As Army Commander, General Sonthi repeatedly assured the public that the army would not interfere in the political crisis, although he has said that "His Majesty must have been saddened" by the nation's political problems.Thai military chief seeking audience with King Bhumibol Taipei TimesShould Thaksin Stay? Times Asia He has also protested Thaksin's unsuccessful attempt to promote a large number of his own former classmates from Class 10 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School to army units responsible for Bangkok's security.Thaksin fall from grace Asia Times Online
The 2006 annual military reshuffle was delayed due to the political crisis, as caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied that he planned to remove Sonthi as Army Commander.Thaksin denies planning to remove Thai army chief People's DailyThaksin denies planning to remove Thai army chief China View Despite this, Sonthi consolidating his personal power base by transferring out 129 mid-ranking officers under generals that he thought were loyal to the Prime Minister. Some observers saw this as a message to the Government that Sonthi was still firmly in charge of the Army.Thai army chief delivers 'counter punch' to Thaksin Taipei Times
As late as May 2006, Sonthi publicly denied the need for a military coup:
Southern Thailand insurgency
After being appointed Army Commander in 2005, Sonthi expressed confidence that he could resolve the insurgency. He claimed that he would take a "new and effective" approach to a crisis and that "The army is informed [of who the insurgents are] and will carry out their duties."Thailand: Mollifying the Muslim SOBAKA Sonthi was granted an extraordinary increase in executive powers to combat unrest in the far South. However, up to 19 September 2006, the Army admitted that they had no idea who the insurgents were.The Bangkok Post, "Deep South: Army wants peace talks but unsure who with", 19 September 2006 The drastic escalation of the insurgency during his leadership of the Army led to much public criticism of Army efforts.
While assigned to the South, Sonthi suggested that former communist insurgents might be playing a role in the unrest. Leaders of the southern provinces displayed skepticism over his suggestion and investigations did not reveal any communist link.Governors to look into Sonthi's claim of communist hand in Southern unrest The Nation
Sonthi was also blamed for failing to rescue two teachers who had been kidnapped and severely beaten by a mob in May 2006.Hostage Taking: Army's image takes beating The Nation One of them, 24-year-old Juling Pangamoon from Chiang Rai, was long in a coma and attracted fame for the attention paid to her by the royal family of Thailand, finally dying from her brutal beating in January 2009.The Nation, "HRH Crown Prince to visit Juling"
In August 2006, after 22 commercial banks were simultaneously bombed in Yala province, Sonthi announced that he would break with government policy and negotiate with the leaders of the insurgency. However, he noted that "We still don't know who is the real head of the militants we are fighting with."Sonthi calls for talks The Nation In a press conference the next day, he attacked the government for criticizing him for trying to negotiate with the anonymous insurgents, and demanded that the government "Free the military and let it do the job."The Bangkok Post, Sonthi slams meddling Afterwards, insurgents bombed 6 department stores in Hat Yai city, which up until then had been free of insurgent activities. As always, the identity of the insurgents was not revealed. On 8 September, Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit promised to give Sonthi increased powers to better deal with the insurgency.Army commander's powers to rise: Thai Deputy PM China Economic Net However, by 19 September 2006, the Army admitted that it still was unsure whom to negotiate with.
Three days later, Sonthi led a coup against the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Sonthi's former superiors, Deputy Prime Minister for national security Chitchai Wannasathit and Defense Minister Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya were immediately arrested.
Despite escalating violence, in May 2007 Sonthi started withdrawing troops from the South, replacing them with territorial defence volunteers. He did not say why the regular army was to be reduced in the South.Bangkok Post, Some troops to pull out of South , 12 May 2007
Military coup
During the peak of the Thailand political crisis in February 2006, Sondhi Limthongkul, leader of the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), personally met Sonthi to request that the military intervene in the crisis. Afterwards, Sondhi claimed that Sonthi listened to him attentively and promised to consider his request. Sonthi later claimed that he was misled into receiving Sondhi, and had no intention to endorse the anti-government activists.Bangkok Post, No time for a general to play games, 11 May 2007
On 19 September 2006, Sonthi and other military leaders launched a military coup against the government of Thaksin Shinawatra. The coup-makers originally called themselves the Council for Democratic Reform. Tanks surrounded Government House in Bangkok and the military took over all broadcast media. Thaksin declared a state of emergency from New York City (where he had been attending a meeting of the United Nations), but his broadcast was cut in mid-sentence when the military seized the television station.
Sonthi dissolved Cabinet, Parliament, and the Constitutional Court, and temporarily gave himself powers equivalent to prime minister. He declared that the council would hand over power in two weeks.Thailand coup leader vows new PM in weeks CNN On the second day of the coup, he received a formal mandate from King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thailand's king gives blessing to coup CNN
General Sonthi later said in an interview that the coup was originally planned for 20 September, to coincide with a major anti-Thaksin rally also planned for that day. He cited the "Portuguese example" in which anti-government rallies coincided with a successful military rebellion which overthrew King Manuel II of Portugal and established the Portuguese First Republic. The coup was moved up to 19 September, when Thaksin was still in New York. Sonthi also stated that the coup was not an urgent measure mooted just a couple of days earlier. Sonthi also claimed that during a lunch that Thaksin had with the commanders of the armed forces, Thaksin had asked him "Will you stage a coup?" Sonthi replied: "I will."The Nation, Sonthi told Thaksin he would stage a coup , 27 October 2006 This contradicted earlier public statements where he denied that the military would stage a coup.International Herald Tribune, Thaksin refuses to resign despite protests in Bangkok , 6 March 2006 He also revealed that as early as his 11 September visit to Myanmar, he had been wary of his personal safety. During flight, he carried a concealed pistol and sat next to the entrance to the cockpit. Sonthi and other junta leaders flew to Chiang Mai on an Air Force C-130 on 3 November 2006 to visit a prominent fortune-teller and perform a religious ceremony to ward off bad luck over their staging of the coup. The fortune teller, Varin Buaviratlert, had been Sonthi's long-time personal fortune-teller, and had foretold Sonthi's rise to become Army Commander.Bangkok Post, Coup-Makers Try to Keep Bad Luck At Bay, 4 November 2006 Amid falling popularity, Sonthi sent his wife and several CNS leaders to visit her on 1 April 2007.Bangkok Post, CNS members visit renowned fortune teller , 2 April 2007
Sonthi completely purged the military of all senior officers perceived as loyal to the Thaksin government, replacing them with officers that he personally trusted.Bangkok Post, Sonthi loyalists put in key military positions , 22 March 2007Bangkok Post, Mid-year reshuffle completes the Thaksin purge , 22 March 2007
Permanent constitution In December 2006, junta chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin issued several guidelines for the permanent constitution being drafted by the CNS's drafting body. These included: Restricting a prime minister to serving a maximum of two terms of office Preventing a government from acting as a caretaker administration after dissolving Parliament. Making it easier to launch a no-confidence debate against the Prime Minister. Whereas the 1997 Constitution required 200 out of the House's 500 MPs to launch a no-confidence debate against the Prime Minister, Sonthi demanded that 100 MPs be sufficient.
He also made several suggestions, including: Transforming the Senate, from an all-elected body to one with 50% appointed members, to prevent relatives of politicians from being elected and thus perverting the non-partisan intent of the 1997 Constitution. Allowing politicians to switch political parties at any time. The 1997 Constitution required that any candidate for the House belong to a political party for 90 days before the registration date for an election. Banning the merger of political parties.The Nation, Sonthi issues guidelines for new charter , 17 December 2006
Sonthi later denied dictating the content for the new constitution, but stated "We can't force them to do things but responsible people will know what the constitution should look like."The Nation, No dictatation on the charter : CNS chief , 20 December 2006
He also suggested that the term in office of village heads and kamnan be increased from 5 years to 10 years, while the role of elected tambon administrative organisations be reduced.The Nation, Sonthi idea 'contrary to democracy' , 25 December 2006
Relations with Singapore