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{{Short description|Royal Thai Army officer (1948–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox
| name = Saprang Kalayanamitr
|honorific-prefix = General
|
| caption = Saprang Kalayanamitr
▲| office = Assistant Secretary-General of the [[Council for National Security]]
| term_end = 7 February 2008▼
▲| term_start = [[19 September]], [[2006]]
▲| term_end =
| predecessor = ''None''
| successor =
| constituency =
| majority =
| office2 = Commander of the
| term_start2 =
| term_end2 = 7 February 2008
| predecessor2 = ''None''
| successor2 =
| constituency2 =
| majority2 =
| office3 = Assistant Commander of the [[Royal
| term_start3 =
| term_end3 = 30 September 2007
| alongside3 = [[Anupong Paochinda]]
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| constituency3 =
| majority3 =
| birth_date = {{birth date
| birth_place = [[Lampang province|Lampang]],
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2023|11|21|1948|7|8}}
| death_place = [[Bangkok]], Thailand
| party = ''None''
| relations = <!-- 6 Brothers and 1 sister -->
| spouse = Viphada Kalayanamitr
| residence =
| occupation = Military officer
Line 42 ⟶ 41:
| website =
| footnotes =
|allegiance = <!-- Thailand -->
|branch = Royal Thai Army
|rank = [[General officer|General]]
|serviceyears = 1970–2008
}}
General '''Saprang Kalayanamitr''' (
Saprang
Saprang
Saprang was considered one of the top contenders to lead the army and the junta after CNS leader [[Sonthi Boonyaratkalin]]'s mandatory retirement in 2007.<ref name="Newsmaker">The Nation, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070107202536/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/03/national/national_30023137.php 10 Newsmakers in 2006], 3 January 2007 </ref> However, in September 2007 he was demoted to be Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Defense Ministry, while his rival, General Anupong Paochinda, was promoted to lead the Army. As a result, Saprang retired from the Army in 2008.
==Education and early career==
===Education===
Saprang was born into a military family on 8 July 1948 in [[Lampang Province]]. He graduated from the 7th Class of the [[Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School]] and the 18th Class of the [[Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy]]. His classmates included General [[Paisan Katanyu]] (appointed Deputy Army Commander after the coup), Admiral Bannawit Kengrien (appointed to the National Legislative Assembly after the coup, and leader of
▲General [[Paisan Katanyu]] (appointed Deputy Army Commander after the coup), Admiral Bannawit Kengrien (appointed to the National Legislative Assembly after the coup, and leader of it's Suvarnabhumi Airport committee), and General [[Lertrat Rattavanich]].<ref name="Post15Aug">Bangkok Post, [http://www.xignite.com/xWorldNews.aspx?articleid=SEP20060815116005 Loyal to the very tip of his tongue], 15 August 2006</ref><ref>m&c, [http://news.monstersandcritics.com/asiapacific/features/article_1240874.php?page=2 The Inside Story: Thailand’s military coup – Act 1], 8 January 2007</ref> He later graduated from the 43rd class of the [[National Defence College of Thailand]] in 2001. His NDC thesis concerned the role of military forces in the control of illegal [[narcotics]]. His NDC classmates included Kraisi Karnasuta, governor of state energy company [[EGAT]].<ref>[http://web.schq.mi.th/~ndc/%C3%D2%C2%AA%D7%E8%CD%B9%C8/%c3%d2%c2%aa%d7%e8%cd%e0%cd%a1%ca%d2%c3%c7%d4%a8%d1%c2%20%c7%bb%cd.43.doc รายชื่อเอกสารวิจัยส่วนบุคคลของนักศึกษา วปอ. รุ่นที่ ๔๓ ประจำปี ๒๕๔๓ - ๒๕๔๔]</ref>
===Early career===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:AungHlang.jpg|right|thumb|Saprang with Maj-Gen [[Min Aung Hlaing]] of [[Myanmar]], June 2006]] -->
Saprang started his military career in 1969 as
In April 1997, Saprang was shortly transferred to the Ministry of Defense as a [[staff officer]], before being promoted in October 1997 to Commanding General of the 15th Infantry [[Division (Military)|Division]], at the time stationed in [[Pran Buri District|Pran Buri]], [[Prachuap Khiri Khan Province]]. In 2003, he was promoted to 3rd [[Corps]] Commander.<ref>ผู้จัดการออนไลน์, [http://www.parliament.go.th/news/news_detail.php?prid=19466 ถอดรหัสแม่ทัพภาค 3 : “ม้าของชาติ และพระเจ้าแผ่นดิน”] (Decoding the 3rd Army: "Horses of the Nation and the King"), 19 July 2006</ref> In 2004, it was strongly
===2006 Coup===
{{
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:SaprangSondhi.jpg|thumb|Right|Saprang and leading Thaksin-critic [[Sondhi Limthongkul]] at a reunion of the [[People's Alliance for Democracy]], 7 January 2007]] -->
In a surprise to many observers, Saprang was promoted to 3rd Army Area Commander in October 2005, headquartered in [[Phitsanulok]] and responsible for most of [[Northern Thailand|northern]] and northeastern Thailand. Analysts had expected Prime Minister Thaksin to promote his own classmates from AFAPS Class 10 to the powerful position instead. At the same time, also in a surprise move, Deputy Army Commander [[Sonthi Boonyaratkalin]] was promoted to Army Commander.<ref name="Newsmaker" />
Saprang and [[Sonthi Boonyaratkalin|Sonthi]] started planning for the coup 7 to 8 months in advance, in approximately February 2006. Coup planning occurred prior to the [[April 2006 Thai legislative election
In the weeks leading up to the coup, Saprang openly mobilised soldiers and northern residents to rebel against the government.<ref name="Newsmaker" /> Saprang played a key role on the evening of
==After the 2006 coup==
A week after the [[2006 Thailand coup|coup]], Saprang was promoted to Assistant Army Commander, alongside fellow coup leader [[Anupong Paochinda]].<ref>The Nation, [https://archive.today/20070929104709/http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30014959 Annual military reshuffle announced], 29 September 2006 </ref> His predecessor, General [[Pornchai Kranlert]], had not taken part in the coup and was transferred to an inactive position.<ref>The Nation, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929153018/http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/29/headlines/headlines_30014964.php Ousted PM's allies receives lenient punishment], 29 September 2006 </ref> Saprang was also promoted from [[Lieutenant General]] to General.
===CNS Special Operations Center===
===TOT and CAT Telecom===
Saprang was appointed by the junta to become
Saprang noted in an interview that, "if
Under Saprang's leadership, TOT reaffirmed its ownership rights to all existing backbone telecommunications networks under a new strategy to act as a "genuine" national telecom company.
Vuthiphong was
Under his leadership, TOT's performance dropped. Revenues for the first half of 2007 fell 13 percent year-on-year, while [[net profit]] fell 36.1 percent. Fixed line revenue dropped 16 percent, and public telephone and international call revenue by 30 percent each.<ref>Bangkok Post, [http://pages.citebite.com/k2b0e1v9l5nhc Forget about ever listing, minister tells TOT], 2 August 2007</ref>
As Chairman of CAT Telecom, he was accused by the founders of [[People's Television]] (PTV), a new satellite television station, of being behind CAT Telecom's refusal to grant an internet link from Bangkok to a [[satellite up-link station]] in [[Hong Kong]]. PTV was established by several ex-executives of the [[Thai Rak Thai]] party. CAT Telecom claimed that it never received PTV's application for internet access.<ref>The Nation, [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/03/02/pda/headlines_30028308.html PTV says 'CAT attack' ruined debut], 2 March 2007</ref>▼
▲As Chairman of CAT Telecom,
Under Saprang's leadership, 80,000 subscribers of [[Thai Mobile]], a mobile phone operator, were cut off temporarily in early May 2007 when owners TOT and CAT Telecom failed to pay the bills of a major supplier. Thai Mobile had accumulated significant losses and the company was not able to make its debt payments or supplier payments. The partners had stopped payments to the supplier, Samart Corporation, for nearly a year, until Samart threatened to suspend services within three days. After no payment, it delivered on its threat. TOT was subsequently able to negotiate with Samart to restart the service.<ref>Bangkok Post, [http://pages.citebite.com/t1l6n7y2a1cik Network shutdown causes caller chaos], 10 May 2007</ref>▼
▲Under Saprang's leadership, 80,000 subscribers of [[Thai Mobile]], a TOT/CAT joint venture mobile phone operator, were cut off temporarily in early May 2007 when owners TOT and CAT Telecom failed to pay
===Airports of Thailand===
====Purging of AoT management====
A week after Saprang hinted at a reshuffle of AoT top management, AoT President [[Chotisak Asapaviriya]] was forced to resign, citing health reasons, while the Directors of [[Suvarnabhumi Airport]] and AoT Commercial Operations were dismissed.<ref>Bangkok Recorder, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070206052530/http://www.bangkokrecorder.com/news/news/airport-president-resigns-738.html Airport president resigns]}}, 3 February 2007</ref><ref>ETNA, [http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=27677 Thailand's new international airport head steps down], 2 February 2007</ref>
====Suvarnabhumi Airport====
As AoT Chairman, Saprang spearheaded an effort to reopen [[Don
Saprang also refused to authorize urgent repairs on the airport tarmac, despite warnings from engineers. Karun Chandrarangsu, president of the Engineering Institute of Thailand noted, "Suvarnabhumi is like a patient in a coma who continues to suffer from severe bleeding. Stopping the blood flow now is more urgent and important than debating what caused the injury."<ref>The Nation, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070219023316/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/02/17/headlines/headlines_30027125.php 'Can we get to work please?'], 17 February 2007 </ref> The Engineering Institute of Thailand sent a formal warning to AoT in November 2006 about the urgent need to drain water from beneath the tarmac
The airport faced ongoing operational challenges, including a computer virus that shut down the automated luggage bomb-scanning system in June 2007.<ref>The Nation, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929140152/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/22/politics/politics_30037538.php Scanners fixed, virus blamed], 22 June 2007 </ref> A study by the [[International Air Transport Association]] (IATA) released in July 2007 found the airport unsafe, citing numerous spots where checked passengers can meet people who have not passed through security checkpoints.<ref>Bangkok Post, [http://pages.citebite.com/h1a9a2c5p1yiu New airport is unsafe, checks below par, says IATA report], 5 July 2007</ref>
Serious security gaps at Suvarnabhumi Airport became known to the public beginning in early 2007. The [[International Air Transport Association]] (IATA) found that there were many spots in the passenger terminal where checked passengers could meet people who have not passed through security checks and could receive unchecked objects and then carry them on board aircraft. The IATA also suggested that AoT deploy its own security staff instead of contracting out the job to the Loxley-ICTS consortium. AoT threatened the consortium with contract termination but didn't follow through with its threat, even though the consortium failed to live up to its contract. Six months later, AoT stated that it still couldn't make up its mind on how it should improve airport security. AoT said it was open to all possible options and had taken no action to upgrade the problem.<ref>Bangkok Post, [http://www.bangkokpost.com/170707_News/17Jul2007_news15.php Security holes at the airport], 17 July 2007{{Dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref><ref>Bangkok Post, [http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=120152 Airport security still below par]</ref><ref>Bangkok Post, [http://www.bangkokpost.com/050707_News/05Jul2007_news02.php New airport is unsafe, checks below par, says IATA report], 5 July 2007{{nonspecific|date=August 2018}}</ref>
====Trip to Europe====
On Tuesday 27 February 2007, Saprang led a 13
====Financial performance====
The AoT board also granted 200 million baht to the Army, which had requested a financial donation. AoT also lent some of its explosives detectors to the Army for use in the [[South Thailand insurrection]].<ref>Bangkok Post, [http://www.bangkokpost.com/270707_News/27Jul2007_news14.php], 27 July 2007{{Dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref>
Financial performance continued to spiral downwards in the 3rd quarter of 2007. Net profit for the period ending June fell by 84 percent from a year before, despite higher traffic and a 17.9 percent increase in revenue. The fall in profit was attributed to AoT's court case against King Power, the operator of [[duty-free]] shops within Suvarnabhumi Airport. King Power's concession was suspended while the case was in court, forcing AOT to stop reporting earnings from the concessionaire.<ref>Forbes, [https://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2007/08/15/afx4020800.html Airports of Thailand's Q3 net profit plunges amid dispute over duty-free shops], 15 August 2007{{Dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref>
===Thaksin Shinawatra===
Saprang had long been a fierce critic of [[Thaksin Shinawatra]], and prior to the coup had even called Thaksin's supporters within the military "evil."<ref>บางกอกทูเดย์, [http://www.jabchai.com/main/news_view.php?id=1033 แม่ทัพภาค 3 อัด "ทหารเลว" สอพลอทักษิณ], 21 July 2006 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928021158/http://www.jabchai.com/main/news_view.php?id=1033 |date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> After the coup, Saprang called Thaksin a "traitor" and said that he should be "banished to live forever in the jungle."<ref
Although Saprang and General Sonthi accused Thaksin of insulting and disrespecting King [[Bhumibol]], he noted that the junta did not pursue [[
Saprang also suspected that Oliver Jufer, a Swiss man who was jailed for [[Lèse majesté in Thailand|lèse majesté]] for spraying paint on a portrait of the image of King [[Bhumibol]], was hired by somebody to perform his vandalism. Saprang ordered a military investigation into the matter. The results have not been made public.<ref>The Telegraph, [
===2007 New Years bombings===
Saprang had a public confrontation with former Prime Minister [[Chavalit Yongchaiyudh]] regarding the [[2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings]] after Chavalit accused him of incompetence.<ref name="Chavalit and CNS still slug it out">The Nation, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070113142039/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/05/politics/politics_30023320.php Chavalit and CNS still slug it out], 5 January 2007 </ref> Saprang
In May 2007, Saprang claimed that he had information regarding the seizure of an instructional manual on terrorism in Bangkok from a
===Resignation of Pridiyathorn Devakula===
Saprang was implicated in the resignation of Finance Minister [[Pridiyathorn Devakula]]
Chienchuang's relations with the junta came under further public scrutiny when it was revealed that he was hired by the junta in order to lead a campaign to discredit deposed premier [[Thaksin Shinawatra]]. Politicians hired as part of the CNS campaign included Chat Pattana party leader [[Korn Dabbaransi]], Democrats [[Korn Chatikavanij]], [[Alongkorn Palabutr]] and [[Korbsak Sabavasu]], [[Prapat
===Mad dogs and machine guns===
Saprang was an extremely vocal critic of those
===
Saprang was considered a strong contender to lead the [[CDRM|junta]] given the mandatory retirement of Army commander-in-chief and CNS President [[Sonthi Boonyaratkalin]] in September 2007.<ref name="Straits" /> He unofficially competed with fellow Assistant Army Commander [[Anupong Paochinda]], who, as 1st Army Area Commander, secured Bangkok on the night of the coup. The ''Bangkok Post'' reported in October 2006 that Sonthi was grooming Anupong to be his successor by giving him responsibilities over coup logistics, a greater task than had been assigned to Saprang. The ''Asia Times'' quoted a former MP as saying
In an interview, Saprang warned that "the three pillars of society - the nation, the religion and the monarchy - might crumble
Saprang also held the opinion that military coups against the government "should never be ruled out." The abrogated [[1997
Saprang was sidelined in security plans preceding the [[Constitutional Court (Thailand)|Constitutional Tribunal's]]
[[Panitan Wattanayagorn]], a military scholar at [[Chulalongkorn University]] and a personal adviser to Prime Minister [[Surayud Chulanont]] noted in early September 2007 that "if the army is going to take a full step into politics, then it will be Saprang. If only a half-step, then Anupong. And if it intends to beat a full retreat or take one step back, it will be [Army chief of staff] Montri [Sangkhasap ]."<ref>Asia Times, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070913191433/http://atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/II07Ae01.html Thai reshuffle exposes cracks in military], 7 September 2007</ref>
Saprang is the youngest of 9 children of [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Sri Kalayanamitr|Sri]] ([[Thai language|Thai]]:ศรี กัลยาณมิตร) and [[Phenkaew Kalayanamitr]] ([[Thai language|Thai]]:เพ็ญแก้ว กัลยาณมิตร). Sri was the eldest of the 8 children of Phraya [[Sucharitraksa]], ruler (''Chao Muang'') of the northern border city of [[Tak Province|Tak]].▼
On 19 September 2007, Saprang's rival, Assistant Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda, was appointed as the new commander-in-chief of the Army, replacing the retiring General Sonthi. Anupong's mandatory retirement occurred in 2010. Sonthi was, after resignation, appointed Deputy Prime Minister. Saprang was transferred to become Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense. Saprang's ally, Defence Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Admiral Bannawit Kengrien, called Saprang's transfer a "demotion" and a "punishment." However, Saprang himself claimed that he did not feel slighted for being passed over, noting that "everything is over" for him.<ref>The Nation, [http://nationmultimedia.com/search/page.news.php?clid=5&id=30050002 Saprang punished: Admiral], 24 September 2007{{Dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref> Bannawit himself was later transferred from Defence Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary to be a Chief Adviser of the Ministry, replaced by Chief Advisor General Toosarat Muang-am. Bannawit denied that his own transfer was the result of his criticism of Saprang's transfer.<ref>The Nation, [http://nationmultimedia.com/search/page.news.php?clid=5&id=30051384 Bannawit shifted, faces disciplinary probes], 5 October 2007{{Dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref> Bannawit then announced that he would resign from the military and enter politics. There was also rampant speculation that Saprang himself would resign and enter politics.<ref>The Nation, [http://nationmultimedia.com/search/page.news.php?clid=5&id=30052911 Bannawit to run the next election], 18 October 2007{{Dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref> Although the Kyodo News Agency noted speculation that Saprang would stage a coup against Anupong, Saprang denied coup rumours, saying that another coup would be "suicide."<ref>Kyodo News, [http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=335945 Succession speculation keeps Thailand on tenterhooks], 8 September 2007{{Dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref>
The Kalayanamitrs are a military aristocratic family with Chinese ([[Hokkien]])-Northern Thai roots. Saprang's ancestor, [[Luang]] [[Phichai Waree]] (original name Ung Mang, [[Thai language|Thai]]:หลวงพิไชยวารี, มั่ง แซ่อึ้ง) migrated to [[Siam]] during the reign of King [[Taksin]] plying the [[samphao]] trade, and was given a [[Thai royal and noble titles|feudal title]] during the reign of King [[Rama I]].<ref>พ.อ.ชาญ กัลยาณมิตร, ''สกุลกัลยาณมิตร'', 1997</ref> ▼
==Personal life==
Saprang has evoked his aristocratic background in order to increase his credibility in public confrontations.<ref>The Nation, [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/05/politics/politics_30023320.php Chavalit and CNS still slug it out], 5 January 2007</ref> Saprang is married to Viphada ([[Thai language|Thai]]:วิภาดา) and has 3 sons: Army Cadet Ekawee ([[Thai language|Thai]]:เอกวีร์), Air Force Cadet Akharawat ([[Thai language|Thai]]:อัครวัต), Air Force Cadet Ekwarit ([[Thai language|Thai]]:เอกวริษฐ์).<ref name="ThaiProfile">Nation Blog, [http://www.oknation.net/blog/nity/2007/02/01/entry-1/comment เบื้องลึก ตระกูลกัลยาณมิตร ของ พล.อ.สพรั่ง], 1 February 2007</ref>▼
▲Saprang
▲The Kalayanamitrs are a military aristocratic family with Chinese ([[Hoklo people|Hokkien]])-Northern Thai roots.<ref name="Straits"/> Saprang's ancestor, [[Luang (title)|Luang]] [[Phichai Waree]] (original name Ung Mang,
▲Saprang
Saprang Kalayanamitr died from lung cancer on 21 November 2023, at the age of 75.<ref>[https://www.sanook.com/news/9113702/ สิ้น พล.อ.สพรั่ง กัลยาณมิตร อดีตบิ๊ก คมช. รัฐประหาร 49 เสียชีวิตแล้วด้วยวัย 75 ปี] {{in lang|th}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[Sonthi Boonyaratkalin]]▼
*
*
▲*[[2006 Thailand coup]]
* [[Wat Kalayanamitr]] – One of the Kalayanamitr family's three temples
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
==Further reading==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070309134352/http://www.rta.mi.th/70011u/ Website of the 4th Infantry Regiment (in Thai)]
*
{{Thailand crisis 2005-2006}}
{{good article}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalayanamitr, Saprang}}
[[Category:Leaders by coup]]▼
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Royal Thai
▲[[Category:Leaders who took power by coup]]
[[
[[Category:People from Lampang province|Saprang Kalayanamitr]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School|Saprang Kalayanamitr]]
[[Category:Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy alumni|Saprang Kalayanamitr]]
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