Apirat Kongsompong

Apirat Kongsompong (Thai: อภิรัชต์ คงสมพงษ์; RTGS: Aphirat Khongsomphong; born 23 March 1960) is the former Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army who served from 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2020.[2] He previously served as Assistant Commander in Chief from October 2017 to September 2018 and the Commanding General of the 1st Army Area[3] from October 2016 to September 2017. General Apirat Kongsompong also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Government Lottery Office,[4] and was formerly an Independent Director at Bangchak Petroleum Public Co.,[5][6][7] and a member of the National Legislative Assembly.[8]

Apirat Kongsompong
อภิรัชต์ คงสมพงษ์
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Assumed office
30 September 2020
Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army
In office
1 October 2018 – 30 September 2020
Preceded byChalermchai Sitthisart
Succeeded byNarongphan Jitkaewthae
Personal details
Born (1960-03-23) March 23, 1960
Bangkok, Thailand
Spouse(s)Associate Professor Kritika Kongsompong, Ph.D.
Children2
Parent(s)
Alma materNational Defence College
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
Military service
AllegianceThailand
Branch/serviceRoyal Thai Army
Royal Security Command
Years of service1985 - 2020
RankGeneral
CommandsThai Army
Commander of the 1st Army Area
1st Corps
1st Division, King's Guard
11th Infantry Division
11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard
Battles/warsSouth Thailand insurgency[1]

Early life

Apirat was born in Bangkok on 23 March 1960. He is the eldest son of General Sunthorn Kongsompong, the former Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, and Khunying Orachorn Kongsompong. He completed his primary and part of secondary education at St. Gabriel's College. He later attended the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (Class 20) and went on to attend Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (Class 31) where he graduated in 1985.

Education

Career
General Apirat with U.S. Army General James McConville chief of staff, U.S. Army at Arlington National Cemetery

General Apirat received a commission as an army officer upon graduation from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in 1985. He served as a pilot at the Army Aviation Center at the beginning of his military career. He completed UH-1H Maintenance/Test Pilot Training at Fort Eustis, Virginia, USA. He also completed the AH-1H (Cobra) Pilot Training Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, USA. Apirat is also a graduate of Infantry Officer Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA. In October 1990, Apirat was appointed Assistant Logistics Officer at the Royal Thai Army Defense Attache Office in Washington D.C.

General Apirat commanded 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard in Bangkok. He went on to command 11th Infantry Regiment King's Guard.[9][10] He served as the Commanding General of 11th Infantry Division in Chachoengsao Province. He went on to serve as the Commanding General of 15th Military Circle in Petchaburi Province. Apirat commanded 1st Division, King's Guard[11][12] in Bangkok. He was later appointed the Commanding General of 1st Corps in 2015. In 2016, General Apirat was appointed the Commanding General of the 1st Army Area.[13][14][15][16]

Apirat's key staff assignments include Combat Intelligence Assistant Staff Officer, 1st Division, King's Guard; Assistant Director of Planning Section, 1st Corps; Civil Affairs Staff Officer, 1st Division, King's Guard; Chief of Staff, 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard; Executive Officer, 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard; Division Chief of Staff, 1st Division, King's Guard; Deputy Commanding General, 1st Division, King's Guard; and Deputy Commanding General, 1st Army Area.

Apirat's deployment experience includes anti-communist operations in 1986. He served as the Commander of Task Force 14 which conducted counter-insurgency operations in Yala Province in 2004.

Apirat is associated with the military clique Wong Thewan, in turn associated with the 1st Division, the King's Guard.[2] While Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy, Prawit Wongsuwon are members of the rival 2nd Division clique, Burapha Phayak ('tigers of the east'), Apirat is known to have close ties with them.[2]

Army chief

Barely a month into his tenure as army chief, Apirat created a media firestorm with his comments on the necessity for military intervention in Thai politics should turmoil surface.[17][18][19]

In October 2019, Gen. Apirat host the special sermon about propaganda in Thailand. As the National security officer, Gen. Apirat heavily concern on digital propaganda via social media because of the hasty widespread the idea of communist or extreme left which is hard to identify.[20] Unfortunately, this mentioned idea is led to overthrow the monarchy which trend to influenced by riot in Hong Kong and define this operation as a “Hybrid Warfare” for destroy the foundation of the state.[21][22][23][24]

In October 2019, Apriat warned in a speech to military officers, policemen, and uniformed students that, "Propaganda in Thailand is severe and worrying. There is a group of communists who still have ideas to overthrow the monarchy, to turn Thailand to communism..."[25][26] His performance prompted the Bangkok Post to remark, "It was 'a lecture' that should never have been given by any army chief, for its combination of accusations against 'the left' and young people, and sensational and biased political messages."[27][28] The speech prompted one analyst to urge that rival factions end the "enemy mindset".[29] His comments sparked criticism online for being a partisan bureaucrat.[30]

Gen. Apirat provide the urgent policy for detect and solve the difficulty on the welfare for the officer of Royal Thai Army.[31] Gen. Apirat found the direct call centre for officer who has obstacle to provide confidential information to Commander in chief directly. Moreover, Due to Nakhon Ratchasima shootings in 2020 cause by the welfare housing system, Gen. Apirat establish the investigation committee for examine the source of obstacle and find the solution include provide remedy for the victim.[32] The hot line provide valuable evidence lead to the undercover problem in Royal Thai Army and sent it to the specialist organization such as office of the national Anti-corruption commission.[33]

After Nakhon Ratchasima shootings in 2020, in which the perpetrator cited corruption in the army as motives, he as the army chief created an anonymous complaint hotline program on 17 February 2020.[34] However, some media reported no concrete achievements.[35] Later in April, an army sergeant filed a complaint about another corruption in the army via the program, but he was retaliated.[36][37][38]

In July 2020, Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, a former police chief and leader of an opposition party Seree Ruam Thai, condemned Apirat's intervention in politics.[39]

Royal careers

On 15 September 2020, King Vajiralongkorn ordered the Bureau of the Royal Household to accept a transfer of Apirat from the retirement of the Royal Thai Army to the Bureau of the Royal Household in the position of Vice-Chamberlain of the Household.[40][41]

Awards and decorations

National honours

Foreign decorations

References
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