Teeradej Meepien facts for kids

Teeradej Meepien (Thai: ธีรเดช มีเพียร, born 21 March 1940) is a retired general and politician from Thailand. He served as the Chief Ombudsman for Thailand from 2007 to 2010. Later, from May 2011 to July 2012, he was the President of the Senate of Thailand. This role also made him the Vice President of the National Assembly.

Learning and Training

Teeradej Meepien completed his secondary education at Saint Gabriel's College. He then went on to graduate from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in 1962. This academy is a military school in Thailand.

University Studies

In 1968, he earned his master's degree in political science from Wayne State University in Michigan, USA. Political science is the study of how governments work.

Military Courses

He also took special courses in army aviation at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He studied at the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Teeradej continued his military education at the Royal Thai Army War College. He also attended the National Defence College of Thailand.

His Military Service

Teeradej Meepien had a long career in the military. He served as a senator, which is a member of a country's parliament, from 1979 to 1981.

Leadership Roles

From 1989 to 1995, he held many important leadership jobs. These were within the Thai Armed Forces' Supreme Command Headquarters. This is the main command center for Thailand's military.

Key Directorships

Between 1996 and 1997, he led the 114 Coordinating Center. This center was part of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC). At the same time, he was the Commanding General of the National Defence Studies Institute. In 1998, he became the Director of the War Veterans Organization of Thailand. From 1998 to 2000, he was the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence. This role helps manage the country's defense.

His Political Journey

Teeradej Meepien also had a significant career in politics. From 2003 to 2007, he worked as an Ombudsman for the National Assembly. An ombudsman helps people with complaints against government actions.

Chief Ombudsman Role

From 2007 to 2010, he served as the Chief Ombudsman. Under a new constitution, the Office of the Ombudsmen became an independent group. It had three people and worked separately from the parliament.

Senate Presidency

In April 2011, Teeradej was appointed as a Senator. He was chosen by a special committee, not elected by public vote. After this, he was elected President of the Senate. This position also made him the Vice President of the National Assembly. He started this important role on May 9, 2011.

His time as President of the Senate ended on July 25, 2012. This happened due to a legal issue related to his previous role as chief ombudsman. His deputy, Nikom Wairatpanij, was then chosen to take his place.