List of prime ministers of Thailand facts for kids

The prime minister of Thailand is the main leader of the government in Thailand. This person is also in charge of the cabinet, which is a group of top government officials. The prime minister represents Thailand both inside the country and to other nations around the world.

The role of prime minister began after the Siamese revolution of 1932, when Thailand got its first constitution. For most of its history, this position has been held by military leaders, especially from the Royal Thai Army. Many of them were high-ranking generals.

The current prime minister is Paetongtarn Shinawatra. She became prime minister on August 16, 2024, and is the leader of the Pheu Thai Party. She is part of the important Shinawatra political family. At 37 years old, she is the youngest person to hold this job and only the second woman to be prime minister of Thailand.

Note: This list includes leaders who took power during military rule or served as acting prime ministers. However, the official government list might not count all of them.

List of Prime Ministers

Colors for Political Parties:

•       Independent (12)
•       Military rule (7)

Older Political Parties:

•       Free Thai Movement (1)
•       Khana Ratsadon (5)
•       Constitutional Front (1)
•       Conservative Party (1)
•       Seri Manangkhasila (1)
•       National Socialist (1)
•       United Thai People (1)
•       Social Action Party (1)
•       Thai Nation (2)
•       Thai Rak Thai (1)
•       People's Power Party (2)

Current Political Parties:

•       Democrat Party (6)
•       New Aspiration (1)
•       Pheu Thai (5)
•       Palang Pracharath (1)
•       United Thai Nation (1)

No.	Picture	Prime Minister (Years lived)	Time in Office			Party		Monarch Reign
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Phraya Manopakorn Nitithada พระยามโนปกรณ์นิติธาดา (1884–1948)	June 28 1932	June 20 1933	357 days		Independent	Prajadhipok r. 1925 – 1935 (Rama VII)
									2		Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena พระยาพหลพลพยุหเสนา (1887–1947)	June 21 1933	December 16 1938	5 years, 178 days		Khana Ratsadon
																	Ananda Mahidol r. 1935 – 1946 (Rama VIII)
3		Plaek Phibunsongkhram แปลก พิบูลสงคราม (1897–1964)	December 16 1938	August 1 1944	5 years, 229 days		Khana Ratsadon
																		4		Khuang Aphaiwong ควง อภัยวงศ์ (1902–1968)	August 1 1944	August 31 1945	1 year, 30 days		Khana Ratsadon
5		Thawi Bunyaket ทวี บุณยเกตุ (1904–1971)	August 31 1945	September 17 1945	17 days		Khana Ratsadon
6		Mom Rajawongse Seni Pramoj หม่อมราชวงศ์เสนีย์ ปราโมช (1905–1997)	September 17 1945	January 31 1946	136 days		Free Thai
(4)		Khuang Aphaiwong ควง อภัยวงศ์ (1902–1968)	January 31 1946	March 24 1946	52 days		Khana Ratsadon
7		Pridi Banomyong ปรีดี พนมยงค์ (1900–1983)	March 24 1946	August 23 1946	152 days		Khana Ratsadon
								Bhumibol Adulyadej r. 1946 – 2016 (Rama IX)
									8		Thawan Thamrongnawasawat ถวัลย์ ธำรงนาวาสวัสดิ์ (1901–1988)	August 23 1946	November 8 1947	1 year, 79 days		Constitutional Front
—		Phin Choonhavan ผิน ชุณหะวัณ (1891–1973)	November 8 1947	November 10 1947	2 days		Military
(4)		Khuang Aphaiwong ควง อภัยวงศ์ (1902–1968)	November 10 1947	April 8 1948	150 days		Democrat
									(3)		Plaek Phibunsongkhram แปลก พิบูลสงคราม (1897–1964)	April 8 1948	September 16 1957	9 years, 161 days		Conservative (until 1955)
	Seri Manangkhasila (from 1955)
		—		Sarit Thanarat สฤษดิ์ ธนะรัชต์ (1908–1963)	September 16 1957	September 21 1957	5 days											Military
9		Pote Sarasin พจน์ สารสิน (1905–2000)	September 21 1957	January 1 1958	102 days		Independent
10		Thanom Kittikachorn ถนอม กิตติขจร (1911–2004)	January 1 1958	October 20 1958	292 days		National Socialist
11		Sarit Thanarat สฤษดิ์ ธนะรัชต์ (1908–1963)	October 20 1958	December 8 1963†	5 years, 49 days		Military
															(10)		Thanom Kittikachorn ถนอม กิตติขจร (1911–2004)	December 9 1963	October 14 1973	9 years, 309 days		Military (until 1968)
	United Thai People (1968–1971)
			Military (from 1971)
12				Sanya Dharmasakti สัญญา ธรรมศักดิ์ (1907–2002)	October 14 1973	February 15 1975	1 year, 124 days			Independent
		(6)									Mom Rajawongse Seni Pramoj หม่อมราชวงศ์เสนีย์ ปราโมช (1905–1997)	February 15 1975	March 14 1975	27 days								Democrat
13		Mom Rajawongse Kukrit Pramoj หม่อมราชวงศ์คึกฤทธิ์ ปราโมช (1911–1995)	March 14 1975	April 20 1976	1 year, 37 days		Social Action
(6)		Mom Rajawongse Seni Pramoj หม่อมราชวงศ์เสนีย์ ปราโมช (1905–1997)	April 20 1976	October 6 1976	169 days		Democrat
									—		Sangad Chaloryu สงัด ชลออยู่ (1915–1980)	October 6 1976	October 8 1976	2 days		Military
14		Thanin Kraivichien ธานินทร์ กรัยวิเชียร (born 1927)	October 8 1976	October 20 1977	1 year, 12 days		Independent
—		Sangad Chaloryu สงัด ชลออยู่ (1915–1980)	October 20 1977	November 11 1977	22 days		Military
15		Kriangsak Chamanan เกรียงศักดิ์ ชมะนันท์ (1917–2003)	November 11 1977	March 3 1980	2 years, 113 days		Military (until 1978)
							Independent (from 1978)
									16		Prem Tinsulanonda เปรม ติณสูลานนท์ (1920–2019)	March 3 1980	August 4 1988	8 years, 154 days		Military (until 1982)
	Independent (from 1982)
		17		Chatichai Choonhavan ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ (1920–1998)	August 4 1988	February 23 1991	2 years, 203 days									Thai Nation
																	—		Sunthorn Kongsompong สุนทร คงสมพงษ์ (1931–1999)	February 23 1991	March 2 1991	7 days		Military
18		Anand Panyarachun อานันท์ ปันยารชุน (born 1932)	March 2 1991	April 7 1992	1 year, 36 days		Independent
19		Suchinda Kraprayoon สุจินดา คราประยูร (born 1933)	April 7 1992	May 24 1992	47 days		Independent
—		Meechai Ruchuphan มีชัย ฤชุพันธุ์ (born 1938) Acting Prime Minister	May 24 1992	June 10 1992	17 days		Independent
(18)		Anand Panyarachun อานันท์ ปันยารชุน (born 1932)	June 10 1992	September 23 1992	105 days		Independent
20		Chuan Leekpai ชวน หลีกภัย (born 1938)	September 23 1992	July 13 1995	2 years, 293 days		Democrat
21		Banharn Silpa-archa บรรหาร ศิลปอาชา (1932–2016)	July 13 1995	November 25 1996	1 year, 135 days		Thai Nation
22		Chavalit Yongchaiyudh ชวลit ยงใจยุทธ (born 1932)	November 25 1996	November 9 1997	349 days		New Aspiration
(20)		Chuan Leekpai ชวน หลีกภัย (born 1938)	November 9 1997	February 9 2001	3 years, 92 days		Democrat
23		Thaksin Shinawatra ทักษิณ ชินวัตร (born 1949)	February 9 2001	September 19 2006	5 years, 222 days		Thai Rak Thai
									—		Sonthi Boonyaratglin สนธิ บุญยรัตกลิน (born 1946)	September 19 2006	October 1 2006	12 days		Military
24		Surayud Chulanont สุรยุทธ์ จุลานนท์ (born 1943)	October 1 2006	January 29 2008	1 year, 120 days		Independent
25		Samak Sundaravej สมัคร สุนทรเวช (1935–2009)	January 29 2008	September 9 2008	224 days		People's Power
26		Somchai Wongsawat สมชาย วงศ์สวัสดิ์ (born 1947)	September 9 2008	September 18 2008	84 days		People's Power
			September 18 2008	December 2 2008
—		Chavarat Charnvirakul ชวรัตน์ ชาญวีรกูล (born 1936) Acting Prime Minister	December 2 2008	December 17 2008	15 days		Independent
27		Abhisit Vejjajiva อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ (born 1964)	December 17 2008	August 5 2011	2 years, 231 days		Democrat
28		Yingluck Shinawatra ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร (born 1967)	August 5 2011	May 7 2014	2 years, 275 days		Pheu Thai
—		Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan นิวัฒน์ธำรง บุญทรงไพศาล (born 1948) Acting Prime Minister	May 7 2014	May 22 2014	15 days		Pheu Thai
29		Prayut Chan-o-cha ประยุทธ์ จันทร์โอชา (born 1954)	May 22 2014	August 22 2023	9 years, 92 days		Military (until 2014)
										Independent (2014–2023)
						Vajiralongkorn r. 2016 – present (Rama X)
											United Thai Nation (2023)
									Independent (since 2023)
							—			Prawit Wongsuwon ประวิตร วงษ์สุวรรณ (born 1945) Acting Prime Minister	August 24 2022	September 30 2022	37 days		Palang Pracharath
							30			Srettha Thavisin เศรษฐา ทวีสิน (born 1962)	August 22 2023	August 14 2024	358 days		Pheu Thai
—		Phumtham Wechayachai ภูมิธรรม เวชยชัย (born 1953) Acting Prime Minister	August 14 2024	August 16 2024	2 days				Pheu Thai
31		Paetongtarn Shinawatra แพทองธาร ชินวัตร (born 1986)	August 16 2024	Incumbent	308 days				Pheu Thai

Timeline of Prime Ministers

See also

In Spanish: Primer ministro de Tailandia para niños

• Prime Minister of Thailand
• Constitution of Thailand
• Government of Thailand
• Office of the Prime Minister (Thailand)
• Cabinet of Thailand