Teeradej Meepien facts for kids

Teeradej Meepien (Thai: ธีรเดช มีเพียร) is a retired general and politician from Thailand. A general is a high-ranking officer in the army. A politician is someone who works in government.

From 2007 to 2010, he served as the Chief Ombudsman for Thailand. An Ombudsman is like a public helper. They investigate complaints from people about government actions. From 2011 to 2012, he was the President of the Senate of Thailand. The Senate is a part of Thailand's government that helps make laws. He was also the Vice President of the National Assembly. The National Assembly is Thailand's main law-making body.

Teeradej Meepien's Early Life and Schooling

Teeradej Meepien finished his secondary education at Saint Gabriel's College. After that, he went to the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. He graduated from this military school in 1962.

Higher Education and Military Training

In 1968, Teeradej Meepien earned a master's degree. He studied political science at Wayne State University in Michigan, USA. Political science is the study of how governments work.

He also took special courses for army pilots. These courses were at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He also studied at the United States Army Command and General Staff College. This college is located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Later, he continued his military studies in Thailand. He attended the Royal Thai Army War College. He also went to the National Defence College of Thailand.

Teeradej Meepien's Military Service

Teeradej Meepien had a long career in the military. He served as a senator from 1979 to 1981. A senator is a member of the Senate, which helps make laws.

Leadership Roles in the Armed Forces

From 1989 to 1995, he held important leadership jobs. These roles were within the Thai Armed Forces. He worked at their main office, called the Supreme Command Headquarters.

From 1996 to 1997, he led a special center. This center was part of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC). At the same time, he was the Commanding General. He led the National Defence Studies Institute. In 1998, he became the Director of the War Veterans Organization of Thailand. This group helps people who served in the military. From 1998 to 2000, he was a top official for the Ministry of Defence. This ministry is in charge of Thailand's military.

Teeradej Meepien's Political Career

Teeradej Meepien also had an important career in politics. From 2003 to 2007, he worked as an Ombudsman. He helped people with their complaints about the government.

Becoming Chief Ombudsman

From 2007 to 2010, he became the Chief Ombudsman. The Office of the Ombudsmen became a special group. It was independent from the parliament. This change happened under Thailand's new constitution.

In April 2011, Teeradej Meepien was chosen to be a Senator again. He was selected by a special committee. He was not elected by the public this time. After this, he was chosen to be the President of the Senate. This also made him the Vice President of the National Assembly. He started this important job on May 9, 2011.

End of His Term

Teeradej Meepien left his position on July 25, 2012. A court found that he had made a mistake. The court said he had wrongly given himself and other ombudsmen extra money for meetings. He received a suspended jail sentence. This meant he did not have to go to jail. Because of the court's decision, he automatically lost his job. His deputy, Nikom Wairatpanij, was then chosen to take his place.