Panieng Karntarat ( th, พะเนียง กานตรัตน์; born 1 April 1921 – 7 July 2010) was a Thai politician and retired air force officer. He held the position of Commander-in-Chief of the

Royal Thai Air Force "Royal Thai Air Force March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day) , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles ...

from 1977 until his retirement on 30 September 1981 during the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...

period.

Education

Panieng graduated from secondary education at Debsirin School, Flying Training School Royal Thai Air Force,

Royal Air Force College Cranwell The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force military academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and ...

and

Air Command and Staff College The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Uni ...

and

Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 Ju ...

, USA. In Thailand with Air Command and Staff Command, Royal Thai Army War College, National Defence College of Thailand in 1964.

Career

He received the first royal thai air force service in the year 1941, during the

Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vas ...

in the rank of a

pilot officer Pilot officer (Plt Off officially in the RAF; in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly P/O in all services, and still often used in the RAF) is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countri ...

. After that, he grew up in air force he has held important positions such as the Director of Operations Directorate of Operations, Chief of the Air Staff, and the Commander-in-Chief Royal Thai Air Force on 1 October 1977. In addition, he is also a member of the National Legislative Assembly member, Supreme Military Court Judiciary, Deputy Minister of Defense and Minister of Defense during the government of Prem Tinsulanonda as Prime Minister.

Honour

* - Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted

Order of the White Elephant __NOTOC__ The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก; ) is an order of Thailand. It wa ...

* - Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Noble

Order of the Crown of Thailand The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย; ) is a Thai order, established in 1869 by King Rama ...

* 1977 -

Order of Chula Chom Klao - 2nd Class upper (Thailand) ribbon

Knight Grand Commander of the Most Illustrious ''

Order of Chula Chom Klao The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์จุลจอมเกล้า; ) was established on 16 November 1873 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand) to ...

'' * -

Victory Medal - Indochina (Thailand) ribbon

Victory Medal - Indochina * - Victory Medal - World War II (Thailand) ribbon

Victory Medal -

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

* -

Border Service Medal * 1972 -

Freeman Safeguarding Medal - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon

Freeman Safeguarding Medal - 1st Class * - Chakra Mala Medal (Thailand) ribbon

Chakra Mala Medal * - Ribbon bar of Red Cross Medal of Appreciation, 1st Class

Foreign honour

* 1961 - UK Royal Victorian Order honorary member ribbon

Commander of the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...

* : -

Order of the Defender of the Realm The Most Esteemed Order of the Defender of the Realm ( ms, Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara) is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country. The Order Motto are 'Dipeliharakan Allah-Pangkuan Negara' (By the Grace ...

* : - Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, First class

Died

Panieng Karntarat died on 7 July 2010 with a disease at

Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital () is a hospital located in Sai Mai District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is a military hospital operated by the Directorate of Medical Services, The Royal Thai Air Force particularly for personnel of the Royal Thai Air F ...

at the aged 89 years.https://www.thairath.co.th/content/94479

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Karntarat, Panieng 1921 births 2010 deaths Panieng Karntarat Panieng Karntarat Panieng Karntarat Panieng Karntarat Thai expatriates in the United States