Pong Punnakan | |
Native Name: | พงษ์ ปุณณกันต์ |
Native Name Lang: | th |
Birth Date: | 1915 9, df=yes |
Birth Place: | Siam |
Death Place: | Thailand |
Office: | Minister of Transport |
Termstart: | 1 January 1958 |
Termend: | 7 March 1969 |
Termstart2: | 18 December 1972 |
Termend2: | 14 October 1973 |
Primeminister: | Thanom Kittikachorn |
Party: | United Thai People's Party |
Primeminister2: | Thanom Kittikachorn |
Rank: | General |
Branch: | Royal Thai Army |
Serviceyears: | 1935-1973 |
Relatives: | Puttipong Punnakanta (grandson) |
Pong Punnakan (; 30 September 1915 – 28 May 1990)[1] was a former Deputy Minister of Transport In the government of Pott Sarasin and a former Minister of Transport Minister for four terms in the government of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn and Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat. He was also a former Minister of Industry for one term in the government of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn and a former Secretary-General of the Revolutionary Council during the 1958 Thai coup[2] in Thailand.
General Pong was the son of Captain Luang Phonwinaikit (Ampai Punnakan). He married to Khun Ying Sa-at (formerly Adireksan). They had a son, Professor Dr. Lueporn. Punnakan, and he was the grandfather of Phuttiphong Punnakanta and Danupon Punnakanta.[3]
General Pong was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Transport in the government of Pot Sarasin in 1957.[4] He resigned, along with the entire cabinet, after the general election of the Thai House of Representatives in December 1957.
He was then appointed as the Minister of Transport again in the government of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn for three terms (Cabinet 28, Cabinet 30, Cabinet 32) and in the government of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat's government (Cabinet 29).[5]
General Pong participated in the 1958 coup in Thailand, led by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, and served as the Secretary-General of the Revolutionary Council. He was also a member of the executive committee of the United Thai People's Party, which was headed by Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Supreme Commander Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn.