General Suchinda Kraprayoon, Thailand’s 19th Prime Minister and 1991 coup leader, dies peacefully at 91
General Suchinda Kraprayoon, Thailand’s 19th Prime Minister and a central figure in the 1991 military coup, passed away peacefully from natural causes at 1:57 a.m. on June 10, 2025, at Phramongkutklao Hospital in Bangkok.
He was 91 years, 10 months, and 4 days old. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date, according to news sources.
Born on August 6, 1933, Suchinda was the youngest child of Juang and Sompong Kraprayoon. He had two elder sisters and was married to Khunying Wannee Kraprayoon (née Noonpakdee), with whom he had two sons.
Suchinda graduated from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (Class 5, West Point programme). He trained as a field artillery battalion commander at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA, and later graduated top of his class in the Royal Thai Army’s Command and General Staff College (Class 44). He also completed advanced military education at Fort Leavenworth.
He began his military career in 1953, commissioned as Second Lieutenant and company commander in the 21st Artillery Battalion. He later served in the Vietnam War as head of operations for the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division. After being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, he became Deputy Military Attaché at the Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C., during the tenure of Ambassador Anand Panyarachun.
Suchinda rose steadily through the military ranks: instructor at the Staff College, Director of Army Operations, Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations), Deputy Chief of Staff, Assistant Army Commander-in-Chief, and finally, on April 29, 1990, he succeeded General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh as Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army. On October 1, 1991, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, succeeding General Sunthorn Kongsompong.
Political Role and Legacy
Suchinda also held political roles, including serving as an advisor to Prime Minister General Prem Tinsulanonda, secretary to Interior Minister General Sithi Chirarot, and a member of the Senate.
On February 23, 1991, he became Deputy Chairman of the National Peacekeeping Council (NPKC), which overthrew the government of Prime Minister General Chatichai Choonhavan in a military coup.
He later assumed office as Thailand’s 19th Prime Minister on April 7, 1992, a move that sparked public outrage and led to the "Black May" protests — a pivotal moment in Thai political history. On May 24, 1992, after just 48 days in office, Suchinda resigned as Prime Minister. Deputy PM Meechai Ruchuphan served as acting Prime Minister in the interim.
Following his resignation, Suchinda withdrew entirely from politics, though he remained a voice in discussions on governance, political reform, and military intervention, drawing on his personal experience.
Until recent years, he continued a tradition of welcoming senior military officers, business leaders, and political figures to his residence in Soi Ranong 2 on his birthday each August 6. However, he had retreated from public life in recent years due to declining health, before passing away from natural causes on June 10, 2025.
