Suchinda Kraprayoon (Thai: สุจินดา คราประยูร, RTGS: Suchinda Khraprayun; 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.

Quick Facts 19th Prime Minister of Thailand, Monarch ...

General Suchinda Kraprayoon MPCh MWM ThChW
สุจินดา คราประยูร
19th Prime Minister of Thailand
In office 7 April 1992 – 24 May 1992
Monarch	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Deputy	Meechai Ruchuphan Narong Wongwan Somboon Rahong Montree Pongpanich Samak Sundaravej
Preceded by	Anand Panyarachun
Succeeded by	Meechai Ruchuphan (Acting)
Minister of Defence
In office 17 April 1992 – 24 May 1992
Prime Minister	himself
Deputy	Chatchom Kanlong
Preceded by	Praphat Kritsanajun
Succeeded by	Banjob Bunnag
Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces
In office 1 October 1991 – 4 April 1992
Minister	Praphat Kritsanajun
Preceded by	Sunthorn Kongsompong
Succeeded by	Kaset Rojananil
Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army
In office 29 April 1990 – 7 April 1992
Preceded by	Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
Succeeded by	Isarapong Noonpakdee
Personal details
Born	(1933-08-06) 6 August 1933 (age 90) Thonburi, Krung Thep, Siam (now Bangkok Noi, Bangkok, Thailand)
Spouse	Wannee Noonpakdee
Children	2
Alma mater	Royal Military Academy
Military service
Allegiance	Thailand
Branch/service	Royal Thai Army
Years of service	1953–1992
Rank	General Admiral Air Chief Marshal
Commands	Commander-in-Chief Royal Thai Armed Forces
Battles/wars	Vietnam War Communist insurgency in Thailand
Awards	Victory Medal - Vietnam War, with flames Freemen Safeguarding Medal (First Class) Border Service Medal Chakra Mala Medal

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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]

• Lecturer at Army Command and General Staff College
• Director-General of Operations Department
• Assisting Chief of Staff (Army Operations) of the Royal Thai Army
• Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Army
• Sub-Commander of the Royal Thai Army
• Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army (29 April 1990)
• Commander-in-Chief of the Supreme Command Headquarters (1 October 1991)

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.

• 1989 - Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
• 1988 - Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
• 1992 - Knight Grand Commander of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
• 1973 - Victory Medal - Vietnam War, with flames
• 1988 - Freeman Safeguarding Medal - 1st Class
• 1970 - Border Service Medal
• 1968 - Chakra Mala Medal
• 1989 - First Class of Boy Scout Citation Medal of Vajira
• 1991 - King Rama IX Royal Cypher Medal 3rd Class