Varawut Silpa-archa

Varawut Silpa-archa (Thai: วราวุธ ศิลปอาชา; RTGS: Warawut Sinlapa-acha) is a Thai politician and current Minister of Social Development and Human Security under the coalition government of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin since 1 September 2023. Previously, he served as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.^[1][2]

Varawut Silpa-archa
วราวุธ ศิลปอาชา
Varawut in 2023
Minister of Social Development and Human Security
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 September 2023
Prime Minister	Srettha Thavisin Paetongtarn Shinawatra
Preceded by	Juti Krairiksh
Leader of the Chartthaipattana Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 October 2022
Preceded by	Kanchana Silpa-archa
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment
In office 10 July 2019 – 1 September 2023
Prime Minister	Prayut Chan-o-cha
Preceded by	Surasak Karnjanarat
Succeeded by	Patcharawat Wongsuwan
Personal details
Born	(1973-07-11) 11 July 1973 (age 52) Bangkok, Thailand
Political party	Chartthaipattana
Other political affiliations	Thai Nation (1995–2008)
Spouse	Suwanna Silpa-archa
Relations	Chumpol Silpa-archa (uncle) Kanchana Silpa-archa (sister)
Parents	Banharn Silpa-archa (father) Jamsai Silpa-archa (mother)
Alma mater	University College London University of Wisconsin–Madison
Signature

Early life and education

Varawut Silpa-archa was born on 11 July 1973 at Bang Khun Phrom Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok. He is the youngest son of Banharn Silpa-archa, a former leader of the Chart Thai Party, and former Prime Minister of Thailand with Khunying Jamsai Silpa-archa. Within his family life, he is married to Suwanna Silpa-archa and has three children.

Varawut graduated from primary and secondary grades 1-2 from Saint Gabriel's College in Bangkok and attended high school in England. He holds a bachelor's degree in B.Eng. (Mechanical Engineering), University College London, United Kingdom, and a master's degree MBA in Finance and Banking, University of Wisconsin–Madison in the United States.

Political careers

Varawut entered the political path following his father by being a member of the House of Representatives Suphan Buri Province in 2001, 2005 and 2007 under the Thai Nation Party and received the position of Deputy Minister of Transport in the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. In 2008, he was disqualified from politics for five years because he was an executive director of the Chart Thai Party, which the Constitutional Court judges had decided to dissolve.

Later, in the 2019 Thai general election, he was elected on the party-list system and was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Royal decorations

Varawut has received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand:

• 2020 - Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
• 2008 - Knight Grand Cordon of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand