| Chief of Defence Forces | |
|---|---|
| ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด | |
 Flag of the Chief of Defence Forces | |
| Incumbent General Songwit Noonpakdee since 1 October 2023 | |
| Ministry of Defence | |
| Member of | Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters |
| Reports to | Minister of Defence |
| Seat | Lak Si, Bangkok |
| Nominator | Minister of Defence |
| Appointer | King of Thailand |
| Formation | 13 November 1940 |
| First holder | Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram |
| Website | Official website |
The Chief of Defence Forces, previously known as the Supreme Commander, (Thai: ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด) is the overall field commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. He is also in charge of managing the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. Not to be confused with the ceremonial Highest Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces who is the constitutional monarch of Thailand.
Prior to 1960 the post was an ad hoc creation by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, during World War II. However, under Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat the position became permanent, and in its early life was even combined with the post of Prime Minister of Thailand. In February 2008 the English name of the post was changed from Supreme Commander to Chief of Defence Forces with the reorganization of the Supreme Command Headquarters into the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters (though the Thai term remained the same).
The enactment of 1997 Constitution of Thailand on 11 October 1997 prohibits double-hatting of this position and each service branch commander-in-chief, the general officer appointed to the Chief of Defence Forces after the date acts more like a coordinator between three military branches. Still, he commands smaller military force than the Army, the Navy, or the Air Force has. So, the position is usually reserved for senior army generals who will not be appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army and will retire on the same year with the latter. It is customary to appoint the chief of defence to four-star rank in all three branches in the Armed Forces for inspection of other branches of the Armed Forces.
List of chiefs
Supreme Commanders (1941−2008)
| No. | Portrait | Supreme Commander | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary command during the Franco-Thai War | ||||||
| 1 |
 | Phibunsongkhram, PlaekMajor General Plaek Phibunsongkhram (1897–1964) | 13 November 1940 | 30 April 1941 | 168 days |  Royal Thai Army |
| Temporary command during the Pacific War | ||||||
| (1) |
| Phibunsongkhram, PlaekField Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (1897–1964) | 12 November 1941 | 24 November 1943 | 2 years, 12 days | Royal Thai Army |
| Permanent command | ||||||
| 2 |
 | Thanarat, SaritField Marshal Sarit Thanarat (1908–1963) | 27 September 1957 | 8 December 1963 † | 6 years, 72 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 3 |
 | Kittikachorn, ThanomField Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn (1911–2004) | 11 December 1963 | 30 September 1973 | 9 years, 293 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 4 |
.jpg) | Chullasapya, DaweeAir Chief Marshal Dawee Chullasapya (1914–1996) | 1 October 1973 | 30 September 1974 | 364 days |  Royal Thai Air Force |
| 5 |
 | Sivara, KrisGeneral Kris Sivara (1914–1976) | 1 October 1974 | 30 September 1975 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 6 |
 | Chaloryu, SangadAdmiral Sangad Chaloryu (1915–1980) | 1 October 1975 | 30 September 1976 | 365 days |  Royal Thai Navy |
| 7 |
 | Dachatungkha, KamonAir Chief Marshal Kamon Dachatungkha [th] (1917–2002) | 1 October 1976 | 30 September 1977 | 364 days | Royal Thai Air Force |
| 8 |
.jpg) | Chamanan, KriangsakGeneral Kriangsak Chamanan (1917–2003) | 1 October 1977 | 30 September 1978 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 9 |
 | Na Nagara, SermGeneral Serm Na Nagara [th] (1921–2009) | 1 October 1979 | 30 September 1981 | 1 year, 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 10 |
 | Kerdphol, SaiyudGeneral Saiyud Kerdphol [th] (born 1923) | 1 October 1981 | 30 September 1983 | 1 year, 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 11 |
| Kamlang-ek, ArthitGeneral Arthit Kamlang-ek (1925–2015) | 1 October 1983 | 31 August 1986 | 2 years, 334 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 12 |
 | Gajaseni, SupaAdmiral Supa Gajaseni [th] (1926–2021) | 1 September 1986 | 30 September 1987 | 1 year, 29 days | Royal Thai Navy |
| 13 |
 | Yongchaiyudh, ChavalitGeneral Chavalit Yongchaiyudh (born 1932) | 1 October 1987 | 31 March 1990 | 2 years, 181 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 14 |
.jpg) | Kongsompong, SunthornGeneral Sunthorn Kongsompong (1931–1999) | 1 April 1990 | 30 September 1991 | 1 year, 182 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 15 |
 | Kraprayoon, SuchindaGeneral Suchinda Kraprayoon (born 1933) | 1 October 1991 | 4 April 1992 | 186 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 16 |
 | Rojananil, KasetAir Chief Marshal Kaset Rojananil (1933–2024) | 6 April 1992 | 31 July 1992 | 116 days | Royal Thai Air Force |
| 17 |
| Aphichari, VoranatAir Chief Marshal Voranat Aphichari [th] (1934–2015) | 1 August 1992 | 30 September 1994 | 2 years, 60 days | Royal Thai Air Force |
| 18 |
| Wootisiri, WatanachaiGeneral Watanachai Wootisiri [th] (1935–2024) | 1 October 1994 | 30 September 1995 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 19 |
| Sangsanit, VirojGeneral Viroj Sangsanit [th] (born 1935) | 1 October 1995 | 30 September 1996 | 365 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 20 |
 | Amphornpisit, MongkonGeneral Mongkon Amphornpisit [th] (born 1940) | 1 October 1996 | 30 September 2000 | 3 years, 365 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 21 |
| Chusri, SomphaoGeneral Somphao Chusri [th] (1941–2024) | 1 October 2000 | 30 September 2001 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 22 |
| Yuthavong, NarongAdmiral Narong Yuthavong [th] (born 1941) | 1 October 2001 | 30 September 2002 | 364 days | Royal Thai Navy |
| 23 |
 | Chulanont, SurayudGeneral Surayud Chulanont (born 1943) | 1 October 2002 | 30 September 2003 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 24 |
| Attanand, SomtatGeneral Somtat Attanand [th] (born 1944) | 1 October 2003 | 30 September 2004 | 365 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 25 |
| Shinawatra, ChaiyasitGeneral Chaiyasit Shinawatra (born 1945) | 1 October 2004 | 30 September 2005 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 26 |
| Mahasaranon, RuangrojGeneral Ruangroj Mahasaranon (born 1946) | 1 October 2005 | 30 September 2006 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 27 |
.jpg) | Niumpradit, BoonsrangGeneral Boonsrang Niumpradit [th] (born 1948) | 1 October 2006 | 30 September 2008 | 1 year, 365 days | Royal Thai Army |
Chiefs of Defence Forces (2008−present)
| No. | Portrait | Chief of Defence Forces | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 |
 | Jaggabatara, SongkittiGeneral Songkitti Jaggabatara (born 1950) | 1 October 2008 | 30 September 2011 | 2 years, 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 29 |
.jpg) | Patimaprakorn, ThanasakGeneral Thanasak Patimaprakorn (born 1953) | 1 October 2011 | 30 September 2014 | 2 years, 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 30 |
| Sanganetra, WorapongGeneral Worapong Sanganetra [th] (born 1955) | 1 October 2014 | 30 September 2015 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 31 |
| Kaotira, SommaiGeneral Sommai Kaotira [th] (born 1956) | 1 October 2015 | 30 September 2016 | 365 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 32 |
_01.jpg) | Suwan-ath, SurapongGeneral Surapong Suwana-adth (born 1956) | 1 October 2016 | 30 September 2017 | 365 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 33 |
.jpg) | Srisuwan, ThanchaiyanGeneral Thanchaiyan Srisuwan (born 1958) | 1 October 2017 | 30 September 2018 | 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 34 |
 | Benyasri, PornpipatGeneral Pornpipat Benyasri (born 1960) | 1 October 2018 | 30 September 2020 | 1 year, 365 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 35 |
.jpg) | Chalermpol SrisawatGeneral Chalermpol Srisawat (born 1963) | 1 October 2020 | 30 September 2023 | 2 years, 364 days | Royal Thai Army |
| 36 |
 | Songwit NoonpakdeeGeneral Songwit Noonpakdee (born 1965) | 1 October 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 92 days | Royal Thai Army |
See also
- Royal Thai Armed Forces
- Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces
- List of commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army
- List of commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy
- List of commanders-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force
