Trairong Suwankiri ( th, ไตรรงค์ สุวรรณคีรี; born June 24, 1944, in

Songkhla Songkhla ( th, สงขลา, ), also known as Singgora or Singora (Pattani Malay: ซิงกอรอ), is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') in Songkhla Province of southern Thailand, near the border with Malaysia. Songkhla lies south of Ba ...

) is a Thai politician (formerly Democrat Party). He was deputy prime minister in the

cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...

of Abhisit Vejjajiva, and vice leader of the Democrats. His name, Trairong means tricolour and is the name of the Thai national flag. In parliament and public he is known for his jokes and his heavy Southern accent.

Educations

Trairong graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from

Thammasat University Thammasat University (Abbreviation, Abrv: TU th, มธ.; th, มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์, , ) is a public research university in Thailand with campuses in Tha Phra Chan area of Phra Nakhon District near the ...

in 1967. Trairong holds a master's degree and a Doctoral degree in Economics of the

University of Hawaiʻi The University of Hawaiʻi System, formally the University of Hawaiʻi and popularly known as UH, is a public college and university system that confers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through three universities, seven com ...

" target="_blank" class="mw-redirect" title="Biographical Data of Members of the 24th House of Representatives: Mr. Trairong Suwankiri">Biographical Data of Members of the 24th House of Representatives: Mr. Trairong Suwankiri

Careers

Trairong Suwankiri has started his career as private secretary to Professor

Puey Ungpakorn Puey Ungphakorn, MBE ( th, ป๋วย อึ๊งภากรณ์; ; IPA:; ; 9 March 1916 – 28 July 1999), was a Thai economist who served as Governor of the Bank of Thailand and Rector of Thammasat University. He was the author of ''Fr ...

, at this time prominent rector of the

. In this function he had to witness the

Thammasat University massacre The 6 October 1976 massacre, or the 6 October event ( th, เหตุการณ์ 6 ตุลา ) as it is known in Thailand, was a violent crackdown by Thai police and lynching by right-wing paramilitaries and bystanders against leftist p ...

of 6 October 1976. In 1986 Trairong was for the first time elected to the House of Representatives on the Democrat Party list. Prime Minister

Prem Tinsulanonda Prem Tinsulanonda ( th, เปรม ติณสูลานนท์, , ; 26 August 1920 – 26 May 2019) was a Thai military officer, politician, and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 3 March 1980 to 4 August 1988, ...

appointed him government spokesman. From 1988 to 1991 he was deputy minister of Interior in the administration of

Chatichai Choonhavan Chatichai Choonhavan ( th, ชาติชาย ชุณหะวัณ, , ; 5 April 1920 – 6 May 1998) was a Thai army officer, diplomat and politician. From 1986 to 1991, he was the chairman of the Thai Nation Party and served as the Prim ...

and from 1992 to 1994 deputy minister of Finance under the first premiership of Chuan Leekpai. He has served as Minister of Industry from 1994 to 1995 in Chuan's first, Minister of Labour from 1997 to 1998 and Deputy Prime Minister in 1999, in his second cabinet. 2005 he was elected vice president of the Democrat Party. From 15 January 2010 to 9 August 2011, he was one of three deputy prime ministers under Abhisit Vejjajiva and in charge of economic affairs. On 27 October 2022, Trairong resigned from the Democrat Party after 38 years as a party member. It is currently speculated he may join the newly formed Ruam Thai Sang Chart, formed by supporters of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for the

2023 Thai general election General elections are scheduled to be held in Thailand on 7 May 2023, after the 25th House of Representatives reaches its four-year term limit. Background Following a political crisis in Thailand, the military staged a coup d'état in 201 ...

Royal decorations

Trairong Suwankiri is decorated with the highest class (Knight Grand Cordon) of both the Order of the White Elephant and the Order of the Crown of Thailand.

Academic rank

* Assistant Professor

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suwankiri, Trairong 1944 births Living people Trairong Suwankiri Trairong Suwankiri Trairong Suwankiri University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni Trairong Suwankiri Trairong Suwankiri Trairong Suwankiri Trairong Suwankiri