Suchinda Kraprayoon

Suchinda Kraprayoon (Thai: สุจินดา คราประยูร, RTGS: Suchinda Khraprayun; 6 August 1933 – 10 June 2025) was a Thai army general and politician who was Prime Minister of Thailand for several weeks in 1992.

General Suchinda Kraprayoon MPCh MWM ThChW
สุจินดา คราประยูร
Suchinda c.1970s
19th Prime Minister of Thailand
In office 7 April 1992 – 24 May 1992
Monarch	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Deputy	Meechai Ruchuphan Narong Wongwan Somboon Rahong Montree Pongpanich Samak Sundaravej
Preceded by	Anand Panyarachun
Succeeded by	Meechai Ruchuphan (acting)
Minister of Defence
In office 17 April 1992 – 24 May 1992
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Praphat Kritsanajun
Succeeded by	Banjob Bunnag
Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces
In office 1 October 1991 – 4 April 1992
Minister	Praphat Kritsanajun
Preceded by	Sunthorn Kongsompong
Succeeded by	Kaset Rojananil
Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army
In office 29 April 1990 – 7 April 1992
Preceded by	Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
Succeeded by	Isarapong Noonpakdee
Personal details
Born	(1933-08-06)6 August 1933 Thonburi, Krung Thep, Siam
Died	10 June 2025(2025-06-10) (aged 91) Bangkok, Thailand
Nationality	Thai
Spouse	Wannee Noonpakdee
Children	2
Alma mater	Royal Military Academy
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Thailand
Branch	Royal Thai Army
Service years	1953–1992
Rank	General Admiral Air Chief Marshal
Conflicts	Vietnam War Communist insurgency in Thailand
Awards	see Honours

As the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (1990–1992), Suchinda led the 1991 Thai coup d'état in February and was a member of the junta called "National Peace Keeping Council". A year after the coup on 7 April 1992, he was appointed prime minister. This sparked mass protests that were violently suppressed during Black May which finally led to his resignation on 24 May 1992.^[1]

Early life and education

Suchinda, son of Juang and Sompong Kraprayoon, was born on 6 August 1933,^[2] in Thonburi, Siam, and was of mixed Chinese^[3][4][5] and Mon descent.^[6]

Suchinda first attended Wat Rajabopit School and later Amnuayslip School. He studied medicine at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok for 12 months before entering the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.^[7] He graduated from Class 5 of the Academy, of which many students would join the National Peace Keeping Council. He also attended the US Army Command and General Staff Course at the Artillery Regiment, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the US Army Command and General Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.^[8]

Military career

Suchinda returned to Thailand in 1953 to serve as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Thai Army. On 25 January 1958 he became Troop Leader in an artillery infantry regiment. He was gradually promoted and given more responsibilities, including:^[9]

• Lecturer at Army Command and General Staff College
• Director-General of Operations Department
• Assisting Chief of Staff (Army Operations) of the Royal Thai Army
• Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Army
• Sub-Commander of the Royal Thai Army
• Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army (29 April 1990)
• Commander-in-Chief of the Supreme Command Headquarters (1 October 1991)

During the Vietnam War, Suchinda was posted to a Thai unit supporting the U.S. war effort and later became an assistant military attaché in 1971 at the Thai Embassy in Washington.^[7]

Coup, NPKC and premiership

Suchinda was a leader of the National Peace Keeping Council (NPKC), which conducted the 1991 Thai coup d'état that ousted the elected government of Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan on 23 February 1991. The NPKC installed former diplomat Anand Panyarachun as prime minister.^[10]

After the general election on 22 March 1992, five parties (Rassadorn, Justice Unity, Social Action, Thai Citizen, Chart Thai) designated Suchinda as the prime minister. His appointment as prime minister on 7 April 1992 resulted in large protests, culminating in a general curfew and military deployment in Bangkok. In the event known as Black May, hundreds of people are believed to have died when soldiers opened fire on unarmed students and demonstrators during the protests.^[11] Further escalation was avoided by the intervention of King Bhumibol.^[12]

Suchinda resigned from the premiership on 24 May 1992. The Deputy Prime Minister, Meechai Ruchuphan, became caretaker prime minister for an interim period until the new government was assigned. He was succeeded by Anand Panyarachun.^[13]

Post-downfall

After resigning, General Suchinda was appointed Chairman of Telecom Holdings, the holding company of Telecom Asia.^[14] Telecom Asia was awarded an unprecedented concession to build 2 million telephone lines in Bangkok after the NPKC seized power.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life and death

Suchinda married Khunying Wannee Kraprayoon (née Noonpakdee), sister of Isarapong Noonpakdee, Suchinda's classmate from military academy. The couple had two sons:^[8] Jerdwut Kraprayoon, a former adviser to the Royal Thai Army, and Janewit “Jack” Kraprayoon.^[15]

Suchinda died of natural causes at Phramongkutklao Hospital in Bangkok, on 10 June 2025, at the age of 91.^[8]

Honours

• 1989 – Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant^[16]
• 1988 – Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand^[17]
• 1992 – Knight Grand Commander of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao^[18]
• 1973 – Victory Medal – Vietnam War, with flames^[19]
• 1988 – Freeman Safeguarding Medal – 1st Class^[20]
• 1970 – Border Service Medal^[21]
• 1968 – Chakra Mala Medal^[22]
• 1989 – First Class of Boy Scout Citation Medal of Vajira^[23]
• 1991 – King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal 3rd Class^[24]

Foreign Honours

• Japan :
  • Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (1992)^[25]
• Malaysia :
  • Courageous Commander of The Most Gallant Order of Military Service (PGAT) (1991)^[26]

Military rank

• General,^[27] Admiral and Air Chief Marshal^[28]

Volunteer Defense Corps of Thailand rank

• Volunteer Defense Corps Colonel^[29]