| Kantathi Suphamongkhon | |
| Native Name: | กันตธีร์ ศุภมงคล |
| Native Name Lang: | th |
| Office1: | Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| Term Start1: | 11 March 2005 |
| Term End1: | 19 September 2006 |
| Primeminister1: | Thaksin Shinawatra |
| Predecessor1: | Surakiart Sathirathai |
| Successor1: | Nitya Pibulsonggram |
| Office2: | Thailand Trade Representative |
| Term Start2: | March 2001 |
| Term End2: | March 2005 |
| Office3: | Member of Parliament |
| Term Start3: | 2001 |
| Term End3: | 2005 |
| Office4: | Director of Policy and Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Term Start4: | 1992 |
| Term End4: | 1994 |
| Office5: | Representative of Thailand at the United Nations, New York |
| Term Start5: | 1987 |
| Term End5: | 1991 |
| Birth Date: | April 3, 1952 |
| Birth Place: | Bangkok, Thailand |
| Party: | Thai Rak Thai Party |
| Spouse: | Soparvan Suphamongkhon |
| Children: | Renee Dootsdi Suphamongkhon |
| Father: | Ambassador Konthi Suphamongkhon |
| Mother: | Khunying Dootsdi Suphamongkhon |
Kantathi Suphamongkhon (Thai กันตธีร์ ศุภมงคล, born 3 April 1952) is a Thai diplomat, politician, university professor and a real estate developer. He served as the 39th minister of foreign affairs of Thailand from 11 March 2005 until the military coup d'état on 19 September 2006. In that capacity, he also served as chairman of the Human Security Network, established in 1999 as an association of countries working to promote the concept of human security as a feature of national and international public policy.[1] [2] [3]
While foreign minister, Kantathi enhanced Thailand's diplomatic role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and in the world at large. He advanced Thailand's constructive role in global affairs. Among other things, while in Pyongyang on several occasions, Kantathi encouraged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) or North Korea to enter or resume the Six-Party Talks. He had been to the DPRK several times and has worked closely with the then U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the People's Republic of China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, and the Republic of Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, with the goal of maintaining peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.[4] [5]
Kantathi has been appointed University of California Regents' Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as well as senior fellow at the Burkle Center for International Relations at UCLA. As distinguished professor of law and diplomacy, he taught law, diplomacy and international trade at UCLA from 2007 until 2014 in various departments and schools, namely department of political science, International Institute and Anderson School of Management. Kantathi is presently a member of the advisory board of the RAND Corporation Center for Asia Pacific Policy.[6]
From 11 March 2005 - 19 September 2006, Kantathi was Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand. From 2001 - 2005 Kantathi was Thailand's Trade Representative, a position with cabinet rank.[7] [8]
Kantathi was executive director and one of the founding members of the Thai Rak Thai Party, as well as a former spokesperson for the party.[9] [10]
Kantathi also served as special adviser to Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Walailak of Thailand. In this role, he accompanied Her Royal Highness on trips to numerous countries pertaining to medical research, the environment, and various other international activities. Kantathi was also foreign affairs adviser to several prime ministers of Thailand as well as foreign affairs advisor to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand.
Kantathi was elected member of the Thai Parliament for two terms (1995 and again 2001). Prior to entering politics, he was a career diplomat in Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 10 years (1985–1995), four of which were spent as a representative of Thailand to the United Nations in New York (1987–1992). His diplomatic career began in the ministry's International Organizations Department where he focused on the United Nations when Thailand was serving its two years as a member of the United Nations Security Council. Later, Kantathi worked in the Political Affairs Department. In 1992, he was Adviser on Foreign Affairs to the Speaker of the House Representatives in the Thai Parliament. Kantathi was also director of the Policy and Planning Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during 1993–1994.[11] [12]
Kantathi has worked in the private sector as Director of the Post Publishing Public Company, which publishes the Bangkok Post and Post Today newspapers. He is currently Chairman of Kanta Enterprise International Limited (KEI), a company which focuses on international real estate development.
Kantathi has taught various subjects including international law, international relations, international trade and foreign policy, negotiations and foreign policy, international politics and globalization, foreign policy of Thailand, Southeast Asian studies, and psychology.
Kantathi holds a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of Southern California, an MA in international studies from American University in Washington, D.C., a BA in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles. He graduated High School from General H.H. Arnold High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. He also attended the American High School on the Rhine in Bonn, Germany. Both were U.S. Department of Defense high schools.