Sontirat Sontijirawong

Sontirat Sontijirawong
สนธิรัตน์ สนธิจิรวงศ์
Sontirat in 2019
Minister of Energy
In office 10 July 2019 – 15 July 2020
Prime Minister	Prayut Chan-o-cha
Preceded by	Siri Jirapongpan
Succeeded by	Supattanapong Punmeechaow
Minister of Commerce
In office 23 November 2017 – 29 January 2019
Prime Minister	Prayut Chan-o-cha
Preceded by	Apiradi Tantraporn
Succeeded by	Jurin Laksanawisit
Personal details
Born	(1960-03-19) 19 March 1960 (age 64) Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Political party	Palang Pracharath Party (2018-2020), (2023-)
Other political affiliations	Sang Anakot Thai (2022-2023)
Alma mater	Chulalongkorn University
Profession	Businessman Politician

Sontirat Sontijirawong (Thai: สนธิรัตน์ สนธิจิรวงศ์; born 19 March 1960) is a former Thai politician. He served as Minister of Energy in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.[1] Supattanapong Punmeechaow was appointed as his successor.[2] On 19 January 2022, Sontirat formed a new party alongside Uttama Savanayana called Sang Anakot Thai (Building Thailand's Future).[3]

Early life and education

Sontirat born on 19 March 1960 in the area of Mueang Kanchanaburi district (now promoted into Dan Makham Tia district since the 1990s). He holds a bachelor's degree in Material science and a Master of Business Administration from Chulalongkorn University.[4]

Careers

Sontirat was a businessman. He was a former member of the National Reform Council, later he was appointed as an advisor to the Minister of Industry in September 2015 by the advice of Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and then was appointed as Deputy Minister of Commerce in December 2016 and Minister of Commerce in November 2017. After he joined Palang Pracharath Party in the 2019 Thai general election, he was appointed by Prayut Chan-o-cha to the position of Minister of Energy until July 2020.

Royal decorations

• 2015 - Companion (Fourth Class) of The Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn
• 2017 - Knight Grand Cross (First Class) Order of the Crown of Thailand[5]
• 2020 - Knight Commander (Second Class) Order of the White Elephant[6]

References

1. "Sontirat looks forward to 'new role'". Bangkok Post. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
2. "A brief profile of new cabinet members". Thai Enquirer. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
3. "New Party launched by former members of the ruling party". 19 January 2022.
4. "ปูมหลัง "สนธิรัตน์" นักธุรกิจขายตรง สะสมพระเครื่องตัวเอ้ สู่ปมเดือด พปชร". 3 July 2019.
5. "เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก และเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย ประจ าปี ๒๕๖๓" [Conferment of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant and the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand in 2020] (PDF) (in Thai). Prime Minister's Office (Thailand). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-13.
6. "เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก และเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย ประจําปี ๒๕๖๐" [Regarding the awarding of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant and the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand for the year 2017] (PDF) (in Thai). Prime Minister's Office (Thailand). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-01-22.