• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Srettha Thavisin

Srettha Thavisin was the fourth Thai prime minister in 16 years to be removed by the kingdom’s Constitutional Court. The court voted 5-4 to remove Srettha, whose appointment of former lawyer Pichit Chuenban, jailed for six months in 2008 for contempt of court conviction, fell short of official moral and ethical standards. The case against Pichit, known as the "snack bag case," dates to 2008, when, while serving as a lawyer for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife in a land purchase matter, he was accused of attempting to bribe court officials with 2 million baht (U.S. $57,156). He allegedly placed the money in a paper grocery bag, pretending it was a snack for a court officer. This led to Pichit being found in contempt of court and serving a six-month prison sentence.

Reporting from Bangkok, Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng said the development was “a big surprise”, but Srettha did not appear to be particularly concerned. “He was seen looking cheerful at the government house earlier today. He said he wasn’t going to go to the court [for an appeal],” Cheng said. “Most people here in Thailand, certainly those watching the political scene, thought that it was probably unlikely that he would be disqualified from his position. They thought he would get a good rap over his knuckles,” he added.

Phil Robertson, director of Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates, criticized the ruling. "Thailand's dark era of destroying democracy through unaccountable rulings of the conservative, elite controlled Constitutional Court continues with the dismissal of PM Srettha Thavisin. The absurdity is palpable! Watch foreign investors head for exits," he posted. Srettha Thavisin, a successful and well-regarded Thai businessman from the Pheu Thai party. He is also, however, a relative newcomer to politics. Move Forward Party confirmed that Pheu Thai would be taking the lead in forming a new Thai government after the bid from Pita failed. Srettha Thavisin is a Thai politician and real estate developer who is one of the prime ministerial candidates of the Pheu Thai Party in the 2023 Thai general election. He was born on the 15th of February, 1963 in Bangkok, Thailand, and has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Chulalongkorn University and a Masters of Business Administration from Claremont Graduate University, United States.

Srettha co-founded Sansiri, his family’s property development business, in 1988, which became one of the largest real estate developers in Thailand, and served as its chief executive and president until he resigned in April of 2023 to pursue his political career. He is a known confidant of both Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra, former and now exiled prime ministers of Thailand, and is seen as a pro-democracy and pro-reform candidate. He is married to Pakpilai Thavisin, a specialist in anti-aging medicine, with whom he has three children. He is also a collector of classic travel trunks, such as those made by Louis Vuitton.

Under Thavisin’s leadership, Sansiri expanded domestically and internationally, establishing itself as a renowned name in the real estate market. Thavisin went on to also establish MQDC (Magnolia Quality Development Corporation), a subsidiary of the Sansiri Group. MQDC is dedicated to developing sustainable properties that focus on the well-being and happiness of residents while ensuring minimal impact on the environment.

As a philanthropist, he established the Sansiri Foundation, which supports educational initiatives and the well-being of underprivileged children and communities. Through his foundation, Thavisin strived to make a positive impact on society, emphasizing the importance of education, health, and social responsibility.

He wants to settle the political issues that have divided Thailand for decades, such as the role of the monarchy, the military, and the Shinawatra family. He believes that dialogue and compromise are needed to achieve national reconciliation and stability. He currently, however, is against amending the Lese Majeste law although his views on this appear to have changed. With Pita’s rejection as PM despite winning the popular vote of the people being primarily due to his support of amending the Lese Majeste laws this is a major issue.

He overall supports the pro-democracy and pro-reform movement that have been protesting against the military-backed government and demanding constitutional changes. However, he is more moderate than Pita and does not support the most extreme protesters that have called for monarchy reform, with his focus being on the economy and economic reform to build better equality.

He advocates for a more decentralized and participatory system of governance, where local communities have more autonomy and power to manage their own affairs. He also wants to promote social welfare and environmental protection. He is a confidant of both Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra, former prime ministers of Thailand who were ousted by coups and live in exile. He shares their vision of a more inclusive and progressive Thailand that respects human rights and democracy.

Srettha Thavisin is associated with the Pheu Thai Party, a major political party in Thailand, which has historically been linked to the Shinawatra family. His rise to political power is seen as part of the Pheu Thai Party's efforts to continue its influence in Thai politics after years of military influence and political instability in the country.

Srettha’s political journey began when he joined the Pheu Thai Party in October 2022. Srettha was also appointed as the party’s deputy leader and economic chief. In April 2023, Srettha announced his resignation from Sansiri, amid speculation that he would be officially named as one of the prime ministerial candidates of the Pheu Thai Party. He said that he wanted to dedicate his full time and energy to serving the country and the people. He also said that he had no conflict of interest with his former business, and that he would not use his wealth or influence to gain an unfair advantage in politics.

Srettha eventually became one of the three prime ministerial candidates of the Pheu Thai Party, alongside Thaksin’s youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and former Attorney General Chaikasem Nitisiri. Srettha is well-liked in the business community, with some 66 percent of 100 CEOs surveyed by the Krungthep Turakij newspaper saying he was their preferred choice for prime minister. Pheu Thai came second in Thailand’s May 14 election but took over the formation of a government after conservative members of the unelected upper house blocked attempts by Move Forward – the youth-led progressive party that won the most seats in the polls – from securing the top job for their candidate. The conservative legislators opposed Move Forward because of its pledge to revise a law that shields Thailand’s monarchy from criticism.

Thai lawmakers elected Srettha prime minister after three months of political intrigue and uncertainty, after nominations for Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the reformist Move Forward Party that was the largest set winner, were blocked twice. Srettha’s Pheu Thai party had placed second in the country’s national polls, but dumped Move Forward as a partner in a potential ruling coalition and formed one with pro-royalist and pro-military parties.

Pheu Thai – which announced an 11-party grouping that includes its former military rivals, including that of former army chief and outgoing Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha – said it was confident that Srettha will win the vote. Srettha Thavisin of the populist Pheu Thai party was the sole candidate to face the vote in Thailand’s bicameral legislature in August 2023 He ran under the slogan “Srettha for Thailand”, promising to bring economic recovery, social justice, and national reconciliation to the country. He also pledged to respect the constitution and the monarchy, and to work with all parties for the common good.

Srettha told Voice of America (VOA), a United States-based news outlet, that it was the despair he felt for Thailand that led him into politics. “We, you, look around yourself when you’re sitting at the top of the pyramid, you don’t just look at the same levels. You look at below of how other people live,” he said in April. “I feel saddened by what I have seen. Because of social disparity, in terms of education, in terms of getting healthcare, in terms of basic things like getting food on the table, it’s still not the way it’s supposed to be for a country that has enormous potential like Thailand.”

He met a less than rousing reception from activists and critics. They questioned his past business practices, accusing him of tax evasion, money laundering, and committing fraud, among other offenses. Srettha denied any accusations of wrongdoing. Srettha was elected just hours after the party’s patriarch, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had returned to Thailand after 15 years of self-exile following accusations of corruption and abuse of power.

Soon after being sworn in, Srettha’s government was accused of giving Thaksin special treatment by allowing him to stay at a Bangkok hospital for six months after the former leader’s sentence had been reduced to a year from eight on a corruption conviction. Thaksin has since been freed from parole.

Some analysts said Srettha’s government did not have an interest in challenging the policies of the country’s military, much less advocating for monarchy reform. For some, Srettha’s ascension to power merely reaffirmed that the country’s ruling establishment retained a strong grip on power, as it dashed the hopes of millions of Thais who had voted for a progressive, pro-democracy government after years of military takeovers and political instability.

Srettha’s government continued to use Article 112, the country’s lèse-majesté or royal defamation law, which the previous administration had relied on to quell pro-democracy protests in 2022 protests. Activists also accused his government of systematically helping weaken the opposition by swarming them in court cases.

As Prime Minister, Srettha faced the challenge of navigating Thailand's complex political landscape, balancing economic reform, social welfare, and maintaining stability in a country that has experienced frequent political upheavals over the past few decades. His policies and leadership style were closely watched, both domestically and internationally, as Thailand seeks to strengthen its economy and political system.

He said he wanted to revitalize Thailand’s economy, which is Southeast Asia’s second largest. And analysts said he tried to achieve this with populist policies, starting mega-projects and traveling the world touting the country as a prime investment destination. But some observers and local business owners said his government had failed to deliver on its economic promises by ignoring the country’s deeper problems.

Part of his strategy to kickstart growth was a cash handout program – also called digital wallet scheme – under which eligible citizens would be given 10,000 baht (U.S. $275) each – once. He was borrowing a page from the populism playbook that made Thaksin a popular prime minister two decades ago. But some analysts and the main Thai opposition party criticized the plan, asking how the government planned to raise money for the 500 billion baht ($13.7 billion) program. They also said that far from reinvigorating the economy, the cash handout scheme could have financial implications, and may not be sustainable.

Additionally, Srettha’s visit to Paris in May, purportedly to raise Thailand’s investment profile to to world leaders and prospective investors, was controversial at home because it was the PM’s second visit to the French capital in two months.

Srettha’s government also planned to raise the national minimum wage to 400 baht ($10.90) per day, but dozens of business groups warned against it, saying such an increase could potentially lead to widespread job losses and increased inflation.