Sonthi Boonyaratglin General ( Ret . ) Sonthi Boonyaratglin ( , ) ( born 2 October 1946 ) is former Commander - in - Chief of the Royal Thai Army and former head of the Council for National Security , the military junta that ruled the kingdom . He is the first Muslim in charge of the mostly Buddhist army . On 19 September 2006 , he became the de facto head of government of Thailand after overthrowing the elected government in a coup d ' état . After retiring from the Army in 2007 , he became Deputy Prime Minister , in charge of national security . Sonthi is a multimillionaire and has two wives , Sukanya and Piyada , despite legal prohibitions against bigamy . Education and early career . Sonthi Boonyaratglin graduated from the 6th Class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School . He graduated from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in 1969 as part of Class 17 and was commissioned into the Royal Army Infantry Corps . He went on to lead several top units , including the elite Special Warfare Command based in Lopburi province . In August 2004 , Sonthi was appointed Deputy Army Commander . Against public expectations , Sonthi was promoted to Army Commander in October 2005 . Sonthi ' s fast rise was backed by retired armed forces Supreme Commander General Surayud Chulanont ( with whom he had served while leading the Special Warfare Command ) and Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda . Both serve as advisers to King Bhumibol Adulyadej . Conflicts with Thaksin Shinawatra . As Army Commander , General Sonthi repeatedly assured the public that the army would not interfere in the political crisis , although he has said that " His Majesty must have been saddened " by the nation ' s political problems . He has also protested Thaksin ' s unsuccessful attempt to promote a large number of his own former classmates from Class 10 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School to army units responsible for Bangkok ' s security . The 2006 annual military reshuffle was delayed due to the political crisis , as caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied that he planned to remove Sonthi as Army Commander . Despite this , Sonthi consolidating his personal power base by transferring out 129 mid - ranking officers under generals that he thought were loyal to the Prime Minister . Some observers saw this as a message to the Government that Sonthi was still firmly in charge of the Army . As late as May 2006 , Sonthi publicly denied the need for a military coup : Southern Thailand insurgency . After being appointed Army Commander in 2005 , Sonthi expressed confidence that he could resolve the insurgency . He claimed that he would take a " new and effective " approach to a crisis and that " The army is informed [ of who the insurgents are ] and will carry out their duties . " Sonthi was granted an extraordinary increase in executive powers to combat unrest in the far South . However , up to 19 September 2006 , the Army admitted that they had no idea who the insurgents were . The drastic escalation of the insurgency during his leadership of the Army led to much public criticism of Army efforts . While assigned to the South , Sonthi suggested that former communist insurgents might be playing a role in the unrest . Leaders of the southern provinces displayed skepticism over his suggestion and investigations did not reveal any communist link . Sonthi was also blamed for failing to rescue two teachers who had been kidnapped and severely beaten by a mob in May 2006 . One of them , 24 - year - old Juling Pangamoon from Chiang Rai , was long a coma and attracted fame for the attention paid to her by the royal family of Thailand , finally dying from her brutal beating in January 2009 . On August 2006 , after 22 commercial banks were simultaneously bombed in Yala province , Sonthi announced that he would break with government policy and negotiate with the leaders of the insurgency . However , he noted that " We still don ' t know who is the real head of the militants we are fighting with . " In a press conference the next day , he attacked the government for criticizing him for trying to negotiate with the anonymous insurgents , and demanded that the government " Free the military and let it do the job . " Afterwards , insurgents bombed 6 department stores in Hat Yai city , which up until then had been free of insurgent activities . As always , the identity of the insurgents was not revealed . On 8 September , Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya promised to give Sonthi increased powers to better deal with the insurgency . However , by 19 September 2006 , the Army admitted that it still was unsure who to negotiate with . Three days later , Sonthi led a coup against the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra . Sonthi ' s former superiors , Deputy Prime Minister for national security Chidchai Vanasatidya and Defense Minister Thammarak Isaragura na Ayuthaya were immediately arrested and have been detained ever since . Despite escalating violence , in May 2007 Sonthi started withdrawing troops from the South , replacing them with territorial defence volunteers . He did not say why the regular army was to be reduced in the South . Military coup . During the peak of the Thailand political crisis in February 2006 , Sondhi Limthongkul , leader of the anti - Thaksin People ' s Alliance for Democracy ( PAD ) , personally met Sonthi to request that the military intervene in the crisis . Afterwards , Sondhi claimed that Sonthi listened to him attentively and promised to consider his request . Sonthi later claimed that he was misled into receiving Sondhi , and had no intention to endorse the anti - government activists . On 19 September 2006 , Sonthi and other military leaders launched a military coup against the government of Thaksin Shinawatra . The coup - makers originally called themselves the Council for Democratic Reform . Tanks surrounded Government House in Bangkok and the military took over all broadcast media . Thaksin declared a state of emergency from New York City ( where he had been attending a meeting of the United Nations ) , but his broadcast was cut in mid - sentence when the military seized the television station . Sonthi dissolved Cabinet , Parliament , and the Constitutional Court , and temporarily gave himself powers equivalent to Prime Minister . He declared that the council would hand over power in two weeks . On the second day of the coup , he received a formal mandate from King Bhumibol Adulyadej . General Sonthi later said in an interview that the coup was originally planned for 20 September , to coincide with a major anti - Thaksin rally also planned for that day . He cited the " Portuguese example " in which anti - government rallies coincided with a successful military rebellion which overthrew King Manuel II of Portugal and established the Portuguese First Republic . The coup was moved up to 19 September , when Thaksin was still in New York . Sonthi also stated that the coup was not an urgent measure mooted just a couple of days earlier . Sonthi also claimed that during a lunch that Thaksin had with the commanders of the armed forces , Thaksin had asked him " Will you stage a coup ? " Sonthi replied : " I will . " This contradicted earlier public statements where he denied that the military would stage a coup . He also revealed that as early as his 11 September visit to Myanmar , he had been wary of his personal safety . During flight , he carried a concealed pistol and sat next to the entrance to the cockpit . Sonthi and other junta leaders flew to Chiang Mai on an Air Force C - 130 on 3 November 2006 to visit a prominent fortune - teller and perform a religious ceremony to ward off bad luck over their staging of the coup . The fortune teller , Varin Buaviratlert , had been Sonthi ' s long - time personal fortune - teller , and had foretold Sonthi ' s rise to become Army Commander . Amid falling popularity , Sonthi sent his wife and several CNS leaders to visit her on 1 April 2007 . Sonthi completely purged the military of all senior officers perceived as loyal to the Thaksin government , replacing them with officers that he personally trusted . Permanent constitution . In December 2006 , junta chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin issued several guidelines for the permanent constitution being drafted by the CNS ' s drafting body . These included : He also made several suggestions , including : Sonthi later denied dictating the content for the new constitution , but stated " We can ' t force them to do things but responsible people will know what the constitution should look like . " He also suggested that the term in office of village heads and kamnan be increased from 5 years to 10 years , while the role of elected tambon administrative organisations be reduced . Relations with Singapore . In 2006 , Thaksin Shinawatra sold his shares in telecom firm Shin Corp to Temasek Holdings . The sale also transferred control of Shin Corp ' s five satellites ( including IPSTAR , the world ' s largest commercial satellite ) and mobile phone operator to the Singaporean company . After the coup , Sonthi claimed that Singapore was eavesdropping on confidential mobile telephone calls made by junta leaders . AIS and Shin Satellite , Shin Corp ' s mobile operator and satellite operator , denied the claim . In February 2007 , Sonthi vowed in front of a thousand volunteer territorial defence students to reclaim the satellites and other telecom assets . " Soldiers will not tolerate a loss of territory , not even a square inch , " he said , and continued about how it was his specific duty to " retrieve our assets " . Sonthi stopped short of threatening to nationalise the telecommunications conglomerate . An opinion poll found more than 78 percent of 1 , 116 Thais surveyed backed Sonthi ' s bid to somehow reclaim the satellites . Sonthi ' s deputy in the CNS , General Saprang Kalayanamitr , noted in a February interview that , " if the telecommunication business is in private hands , it won ' t be safe for the country . " Human rights . Human Rights Watch accused the Thai Army , under Sonthi ' s command , of " disappearing " ethnic Malay Muslims in the far south in a deliberate attempt to defeat the South Thailand insurgency . " These ' disappearances ' appear to be a matter of policy , not simply the work of rogue elements in the security services , " said the agency in a report . Other controversies . Sonthi approved a 12 million baht top - secret budget for a public relations campaign to discredit Thaksin Shinawatra . The request for the money was submitted on 24 January 2007 . Chianchuang Kalayanamitr , younger brother of CNS Deputy Secretary - General Saprang Kalayanamitr , was hired as head of the publicity team . Politicians hired as part of the CNS campaign included Chat Pattana party leader Korn Dabbaransi , Democrats Korn Chatikavanij , and Korbsak Sabavasu , Prapat Panya - chatraksa , a key Thai Rak Thai member who defected to the Chat Thai party , plus ex - senator Kraisak Choonhavan . Academics hired by the CNS included Wuttipong Piebjriya - wat , Sophon Supapong , Narong Phet - prasert , and Somkiat Osotspa . However , Sophon denied he had anything to do with the campaign . After a bomb was exploded outside of Chitrlada Palace in early May 2007 , junta leader Sonthi Boonratkalin claimed that the " old power group " was behind it , and told the press to ask PTV to learn more . He did not cite any evidence for his claims . Sonthi claimed in public that several upper - middle - ranking public officials had attempted to give him between 40 and 100 million baht in order to get promoted to director - general posts . Sonthi noted that the incidents led him to conclude that paying bribes to get promoted was common during the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra . A criminal complaint was filed against Sonthi for failing to take action against the officials . " Sonthi knows who the people are . Why hasn ' t he charged them over their illegal actions ? " said People ' s Television executive Veera Musigapong . Amid escalating public criticism of Premier Surayud in March 2007 , Chaiwat Sinsuwong , leader of a PAD branch called the Assembly of Isaan People , personally met Sonthi to request that the military remove the Prime Minister . Afterwards , Chaiwat claimed that Sonthi listened to him attentively and promised to consider his request . Sonthi later claimed that he was tricked into receiving Chaiwat , and had no intention to endorse the anti - government activists . In May 2007 , Sonthi warned about 40 senior newspaper columnists and executives to " report news correctly , " saying that he had noticed columnists criticising situations in different ways , and making it clear that he wanted stories to be reported in the same direction . On 30 May 2007 , a junta - appointed Constitutional Tribunal dissolved the Thai Rak Thai Party and banned over 100 of its executives , including Thaksin , from politics for 5 years . On the morning of the ruling , Sonthi met with Tribunal judge Ackaratorn Chularat . He later denied that he lobbied the Constitution Tribunal to ban the Thai Rak Thai executive team . Resignation from CNS , entry into politics . There was widespread public speculation that Sonthi would retain power after his mandatory retirement in 2007 . Although he promised not to follow in the footsteps of former National Peace Keeping Coalition leader and deposed Prime Minister General Suchinda Kraprayoon , Sonthi did note that he alone could not make the decision as to whether he should become Prime Minister . In March 2007 , Sonthi called for emergency rule to be declared in Bangkok in response to the protests by the founders of People ' s Television . In an interview , he noted that the protests had so far been peaceful , but that he was afraid the movement could lead to " mutiny and chaos in the country . " As the military junta consolidated its power , Sonthi flip - flopped from earlier promises not to cling to power . In a television interview on 25 June 2007 he hinted at plans to enter politics after he retires as Army chief in September 2007 , not denying a suggestion that a new political party might be created for him . The very next day , a group of allies and anti - Thaksin politicians launched Ruam Jai Thai ( Thai Unity ) , a new party that “ would not be unfriendly to the military ” , as one put it . Sonthi ' s potential entry into politics was welcomed by Suthep Thaugsuban , Secretary - General of the Democrat Party . " It would be a good sign if Sonthi would turn himself into a politician because that is the way of democracy . We should appreciate him [ if he did it that way ] . He is welcome . . . I haven ' t talked about the matter with him . But , in general , the Army commander - in - chief , government officials or ordinary people are welcome here at the Democrat Party , " Suthep said . Coup - supporter Suriyasai Katasila of the People ' s Alliance for Democracy suggested that Sonthi skip the next post - election and wait for the one after it , if he is keen about entering politics . Fellow coup - supporter Chamlong Srimuang , whose 1992 protests against Prime Minister Suchinda Kraprayoon led to the coup - leader ' s downfall , declined to state his views on Sonthi ' s future political role . CNS sources claimed that as of July 2007 , Sonthi had not made a decision about whether or not to run in the next election . The Prime Minister ' s Office Minister defended Sonthi ' s right to formally enter politics . " Whether or not it is appropriate for him to contest the [ next ] general election is open to criticism , which , of course , has nothing to do with his right to run . If people consider it inappropriate , they will not vote for him or his party , " the Minister said . In the months prior to July 2007 , Sonthi co - chaired meetings of the Thai Cabinet , alongside Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont . He also travelled to the provinces to convince local officials to cut links with Thaksin Shinawatra and anti - junta politicians , telling them they would be treated better under his rule . Sources claimed that Sonthi was planning to run for Parliament in the next election , representing Lopburi . General Pallop Pinmanee , Sonthi ' s advisor and director of the Internal Security Operations Command ( ISOC ) was charged with building a support base for Gen Sonthi in Lopburi . ISOC staff were also sent to Northern and Northeastern provinces , political strongholds of Thaksin ' s Thai Rak Thai party , to persuade local politicians to defect from Thai Rak Thai and join political parties backed by the military . Sonthi resigned as commander - in - chief of the Royal Thai Army on September 30 , 2007 . He was succeeded by General Anupong Paochinda . Sonthi resigned as chairman of the Council for National Security on October 1 , 2007 . He was succeeded as CNS chairman by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk , the commander - in - chief of the Royal Thai Air Force . Sonthi accepted a post in the cabinet of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont as deputy prime minister in charge of security . Personal life . Sonthi has two concurrent wives . He registered to marry his first wife , Sukanya , when he was a lieutenant and registered to a second wife , Piyada , when he was a captain . He currently lives with both women . Bigamy is illegal in Thailand , and is punishable with a jail term . However , Interior Minister Aree Wongsaraya defended Sonthi , claiming that it was a personal matter . He boasted that he himself had six wives . Sonthi is of Persia n lineage . His ancestor , Sheikh Ahmad Qomi , was an Iranian expatriate trader who lived in Thailand for 26 years . Many Thais , including those from the Bunnag and Ahmadchula families trace their ancestry back to him . His son " Pop " Nithi Boonyaratkalin married thai actress Panward Hemmanee in April 2012 . Royal decorations . Sonthi has received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand :