Prayut Chan-o-cha
Thailand
Palang Pracharath
Member of the Privy Council of Thailand
government
Prayut Chan-o-cha is a Thai former politician and military officer who became the 29th prime minister of Thailand after seizing power in the 2014 coup d'état and served until 2023. He was concurrently the minister of defence in his own government from 2019 to 2023. Prayut served as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army from 2010 to 2014 and led the coup d'état which installed the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the military junta which governed Thailand between 22 May 2014 and 10 July 2019.
Standing...
Stories...
Oct 5, 2026
Lean Right
Thailand faces renewed calls to amend its lese-majeste law, a controversy that defined Prayut's tenure.
Market liberals criticize Prayut for entrenching Article 112 prosecutions that suppress free speech and deter foreign investment, calling the law a relic of authoritarian rule.
Jul 11, 2026
Lean Right
Thai PM's government focuses on taxing wealthy tourists while failing to tax domestic elite wealth.
Market liberals condemn this as crony capitalism that avoids addressing structural inequality and hinders market competition.