| Suchinda Kraprayoon | |
| Native Name Lang: | th |
| Honorific-Prefix: | General |
| Honorific-Suffix: | MPCh MWM ThChW |
| Nationality: | Thai |
| Order: | 19th |
| Office: | Prime Minister of Thailand |
| Term Start: | 7 April 1992 |
| Term End: | 24 May 1992 |
| Predecessor: | Anand Panyarachun |
| Office1: | Minister of Defence |
| Primeminister1: | himself |
| Deputy1: | Chatchom Kanlong |
| Term Start1: | 17 April 1992 |
| Term End1: | 24 May 1992 |
| Predecessor1: | Praphat Kritsanajun |
| Successor1: | Banjob Bunnag |
| Office3: | Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army |
| Term Start3: | 29 April 1990 |
| Term End3: | 7 April 1992 |
| Predecessor3: | Chavalit Yongchaiyudh |
| Successor3: | Isarapong Noonpakdee |
| Office2: | Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces |
| Term Start2: | 1 October 1991 |
| Term End2: | 4 April 1992 |
| Minister2: | Praphat Kritsanajun |
| Predecessor2: | Sunthorn Kongsompong |
| Successor2: | Kaset Rojananil |
| Birth Date: | 1933 8, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Thonburi, Krung Thep, Siam (now Bangkok Noi, Bangkok, Thailand) |
| Spouse: | Wannee Noonpakdee |
| Children: | 2 |
| Alma Mater: | Royal Military Academy |
| Allegiance: |  Thailand |
| Serviceyears: | 1953–1992 |
| Signature: | Suchinda Kraprayoon signature.jpg |
Suchinda Kraprayoon (Thai: สุจินดา คราประยูร, ; born 6 August 1933)[1] is a Thai retired army general and politician. As the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (1990–1992) he led the 1991 Thai coup d'état in February and was a member of the junta called "National Peace Keeping Council". A year after the coup, on 7 April 1992 he was appointed Prime Minister of Thailand. This sparked mass protests that were violently suppressed during Black May which finally led to his resignation on 24 May 1992.
Suchinda, son of Juang and Sompong Kraprayoon, was born on 6 August 1933, in Thonburi, Siam, and is of mixed Chinese[2] [3] [4] and Mon descent.[5]
Suchinda first attended Wat Rajabopit School and later Amnuayslip School. He studied medicine at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok for 12 months before entering the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. He graduated from Class 5 of the Academy, of which many students would join the National Peace Keeping Council. He also attended the US Army Command and General Staff Course at the Artillery Regiment, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the US Army Command and General Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Suchinda returned to Thailand in 1953 to serve as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Thai Army. On 25 January 1958 he became Troop Leader in an artillery infantry regiment. He was gradually promoted and given more responsibilities, including:[6]
Suchinda was a leader of the National Peace Keeping Council (NPKC), which conducted the 1991 Thai coup d'état that ousted the elected government of Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan on 23 February 1991. The NPKC installed former diplomat Anand Panyarachun as Prime Minister.
After the general election on 22 March 1992, five parties (Rassadorn, Justice Unity, Social Action, Thai Citizen, Chart Thai) designated Suchinda as the prime minister. His appointment as Prime Minister on 7 April 1992 resulted in large protests, culminating in a general curfew and military deployment in Bangkok. In the event known as Black May, hundreds of people are believed to have died when soldiers opened fire on unarmed students and demonstrators during the protests.[7] Further escalation was avoided by the intervention of King Bhumibol.
Suchinda resigned from the Premiership on 24 May 1992. The Deputy Prime Minister, Meechai Ruchuphan, became caretaker Prime Minister for an interim period until the new government was assigned. He was succeeded by Anand Panyarachun.
After resigning, General Suchinda was appointed Chairman of Telecom Holdings, the holding company of Telecom Asia.[8] Telecom Asia was awarded an unprecedented concession to build 2 million telephone lines in Bangkok after the NPKC seized power.
Suchinda is married to Khunying Wannee Kraprayoon (née Noonpakdee), sister of Isarapong Noonpakdee, Suchinda's classmate from military academy. The couple has two sons: Jerdwut Kraprayoon, currently an advisor to the Royal Thai Army, and Janewit “Jack” Kraprayoon.