The Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters or the Chief of Defence Forces (Thai language: 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 Defence Forces (ผู้บัญชาการกองทัพไทย). The current commander is General Songwit Noonpakdee, who assumes office in 2023.
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 Kris Sivara | 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 Defence Forces[]
General Songkitti Jaggabatara, First Chief of Defence Forces (ผู้บัญชาการกองทัพไทย)
| No. | Name | Term begins | Term ends | Branch |
| 28 | General Songkitti Jaggabatara | 1 October 2008 | 30 September 2011 | Royal Thai Army |
| 29 | General Thanasak Patimaprakorn | 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 | 30 Septmber 2016 | Royal Thai Army |
| 32 | General Surapong Suwan-ath | 1 October 2016 | 30 September 2017 | Royal Thai Army |
| 33 | General Thanchaiyan Srisuwan | 1 October 2017 | 30 September 2018 | Royal Thai Army |
| 34 | General Pornpipat Benyasri | 1 October 2018 | 30 September 2020 | Royal Thai Army |
| 35 | General Chalermpol Srisawat | 1 October 2020 | 30 September 2023 | Royal Thai Army |
| 36 | General Songwit Noonpakdee | 1 October 2023 | 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[]
External links[]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
The original article can be found at List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters and the edit history here.