Prominent Thai Politicians, Social Activists, and Noted Persons

Alliances and rivalries in Thai politics are as unpredictable and short-lived as they've ever been. Keep track of who's who in Thailand's recent past, in actual political affairs, and the news.

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Somchai Wongsawat

Profile
Name:	Somchai Wongsawat
Date of Birth:	31 August 1947
Place of Birth:	Nakhon Si Thammarat
Religion:	Buddhist
Nationality:	Thai
Profession:	Attorney
Position:	26th Prime Minister of Thailand
In Office:	18 September 2008 ౼ 2 December 2008
Education:	Amnuay Silpa School, Bkk Thammasat University, Faculty of Law (1970) Thai Bar Association, Barrister-at-Law (1973) National Institute of Development Administration
Background:	Assistant Judge, Ministry of Justice (1974) Ministerial Justice (1975) Justice of Chiang Mai Provincial Court (1976) Justice of Chiang Mai (1978) Justice of Chiang Rai (1983) Chief, Phang Nga Provincial Court (1986) Chief, Children and Juvenile Court of Rayong (1987) Chief, Chon Buri Provincial Court (1988) Chief, Nonthaburi Provincial (1989) Chief, Thon Buri Criminal Court (1990) Judge, 3rd Region Appealate Court (1993) Judge, 2nd Region Appealate Court (1997) Permanent Secretary of Justice (2000) Permanent Secretary of Labour (2006) Prime Minister of Thailand (2008)

Thaksin's Brother-in-Law
Somchai Wongsawat was born in Nakhon Si Thammarat. A 61-year-old bureaucrat, Somchai Wongsawat, was working all his life in the public and civil service in various offices of the judicial system. Having married Yaowapha Shinawatra, Somchai Wongsawat became Thaksin's brother-in-law. In all likelihood, Somchai would never get on the "Who's Who" list unless his influential relative. Somchai became the Prime Minister of Thailand on 9 September 2008, upon the Constitutional Court's decision that the premiership of Samak Sundaravej had been terminated for his having been intermittently employed as the emcee of two cooking shows while in office, in violation of the law. King Bhumibol Adulyadej issued a Royal Proclamation appointing Somchai as the 26th Prime Minister on 18 September 2008. On 2 December 2008, Thailand's Constitutional Court disbanded the ruling People Power Party (PPP) after it was found guilty of vote fraud in the December 2007 election. The Court also barred the party's top leaders, including P.M. Somchai Wongsawat, from politics for five years.

Who's Who in Thai Politics

Prem Tinsulanonda	Thaksin Shinawatra	Abhisit Vejjajiva
Sondhi Limthongkul	Samak Sundaravej	Somchai Wongsawat
Chuan Leekpai	Chavalit Yongchaiyudh	Banharn Silpa-archa

Newin Chidchob	Sanan Kachornprasart	Sanoh Tienthong
Surayud Chulanont	Kasit Piromya	Paetongtarn Shinawatra