Apirat Kongsompong

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

Early life

General Apirat Kongsompong 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

• Saint Gabriel's College
• Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (Class 20)
• Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (Class 31)
• Master of Business Administration, Southeastern University Washington DC., USA.
• Command and General Staff College (Class 73)
• Joint Staff College (Class 47)
• National Defence College (Class 57)

Career

General Apirat Kongsompong 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. General Kongsompong is also a graduate of Infantry Officer Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA. In October 1990, General Kongsompong was appointed Assistant Logistic Officer at the Royal Thai Army Defense Attache Office in Washington D.C., USA.

General Kongsompong commanded 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard in Bangkok. He went on to command 11th Infantry Regiment King's Guard.^[8][9] 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. General Kongsompong commanded 1st Division, King’s Guard^[10][11] in Bangkok. He was later appointed the Commanding General of 1st Corps in 2015. In 2016, General Kongsompong was appointed the Commanding General of the 1st Army Area.^{[12][13][14][15]}

General Kongsompong'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.

General Kongsompong’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.

Gen Apirat is associated with the military clique Wong Thewan, in turn associated with the 1st Division, the King's Guard.^[1] 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.^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand^[16]
• Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
• Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
• Companion (Third Class, Lower grade) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao ^[17]
• Chakrabarti Mala Medal - Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Civil)

References