The general who promised no coup, then led one
In short: In May 2006, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin gave a firm assurance: the military would step back from politics. Yet, just months later, he orchestrated a massive takeover of the Thai government, dissolving parliament and seizing control of the nation's media.
Sonthi Boonyaratglin’s rise through the Royal Thai Army was remarkably swift. After graduating from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in 1969, he climbed the ranks to become Army Commander in October 2005. His ascent was supported by influential figures like General Surayud Chulanont and General Prem Tinsulanonda, both of whom served as advisers to King Bhumeral Adulyadej.
Despite his public denials of coup intentions, Sonthi led a military coup on 19 September 2006, overthrowing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The operation, executed by the Council for Democratic Reform, involved tanks surrounding Government House and the military seizing television stations to cut off the Prime Minister's broadcasts. Interestingly, Sonthi later revealed that the coup was originally intended for 20 September, but was moved forward by one day.
During his time as the de facto head of government, Sonthi’s leadership was marked by intense political maneuvering and controversy. He implemented significant constitutional changes, such as reducing the number of MPs required to launch a no-confidence debate from 200 to 100, and proposed making the Senate 50% appointed. His tenure also saw a 12 million baht top-secret budget used for a public relations campaign to discredit the deposed administration, alongside accusations from Human Rights Watch regarding the 'disappearance' of ethnic Malay Muslims in the south.
After retiring from the Army in 2007, Sonthi transitioned into civilian politics, serving as deputy prime minister in charge of national security. His legacy remains a complex study of military intervention in democratic processes, characterized by a tension between his stated commitment to non-interference and his decisive actions to reshape the Thai state.
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