Wannarat Channukul ( th, วรรณรัตน์ ชาญนุกูล, ; born 8 March 1949 in

Nakhon Ratchasima Nakhon Ratchasima ( th, นครราชสีมา, ) is one of the four major cities of Isan, Thailand, known as the "big four of Isan". The city is commonly known as Korat (, ), a shortened form of its name. It is the governmental seat of ...

) is a Thai physician and politician. He is the leader of the

Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party The Chart Pattana Kla Party ( th, พรรคชาติพัฒนากล้า) is a Thai list of political parties in Thailand, political party. In 2007 Thai general election, the chairman of the party is Wannarat Channukul. His brother-i ...

. From 2008 to 2011, he was Minister of Energy in the cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva. and from 2011 to 2012 Minister of Industry 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 ...

Yingluck Shinawatra Yingluck Shinawatra ( th, ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร, , ; ; born 21 June 1967), nicknamed Pou ( th, ปู, , , meaning "crab"), is a Thai businesswoman, politician and a member of the Pheu Thai Party who became the Pri ...

Early life and education

Wannarat Channukul studied medicine at

Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University (CU, th, จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย, ), nicknamed Chula ( th, จุฬาฯ), is a public and autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally fo ...

, graduating with an MD, and law at

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University or STOU () is the only open university in Thailand. History Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University was officially established by royal charter on 5 September 1978 as Thailand's eleventh state university to ...

, graduating with an LLB. He continued his education at the

University of Hawaii A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

, receiving a

Master of Public Health The Master of Public Health or Master of Philosophy in Public Health (M.P.H.), Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH), Master of Medical Science in Public Health (MMSPH) and the Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.), International Masters for Healt ...

degree. Subsequently, he worked as a doctor at Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital.

Political careers

In 1992, Wannarat was elected to the parliament to represent Nakhon Ratchasima Province and the National Development Party. He was re-elected five times. From 2004 to 2007 he belonged to the

Thai Rak Thai Party The Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT; th, พรรคไทยรักไทย, , ; "Thais Love Thais Party") was a Thai political party founded in 1998. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under its founder, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawat ...

of Prime Minister

Thaksin Shinawatra Thaksin Shinawatra ( th, ทักษิณ ชินวัตร; ; ; Chinese: 丘達新; cnr, Taksin Šinavatra; born 26 July 1949), is a Thai businessman, politician and visiting professor. He served in the Thai Police from 1973 to 1987, a ...

, until the government was overthrown by the military and the Constitutional Court banned the party. Wannarat's political faction merged with the

Thais United Thais can be the plural of ''Thai'' and refer to: * The Thai people, the main ethnic group of Thailand * The Thai peoples or Tai peoples, the ethnic groups of southern China and Southeast Asia In the singular, Thais may refer to: People Ancien ...

party to form the Thais United National Development Party. He became Minister for Energy in

Somchai Wongsawat Somchai Wongsawat ( th, สมชาย วงศ์สวัสดิ์, ; born 31 August 1947) is a Thai politician who was the prime minister of Thailand in 2008 and a former executive member of the People's Power Party (Thailand), People ...

's government for three months, until the minor parties broke their coalition with the People's Power Party and elected Abhisit Vejjajiva prime minister. Nevertheless, Wannarat stayed in office. Before the 2011 general election, he merged his United National Development Party with the

Puea Pandin Party Puea Pandin Party ( th, พรรคเพื่อแผ่นดิน) is a Thai political party founded on September 11, 2007, by more than 200 politicians. Its most notable members included Thaksin's former foreign minister Surakiart Sathir ...

to form the

, which he now chairs. After the 2011 election, Wannarat Channukul led the party into coalition with the successful

Pheu Thai Party The Pheu Thai Party (PTP; th, พรรคเพื่อไทย, lit=For Thais Party, , ) is the third incarnation of a Thai political party founded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The Pheu Thai Party was founded on 20 Septemb ...

and was appointed

Minister of Industry The industry minister is a cabinet position in a government. The title may refer to the head of the governmental department that specializes in industry. This position may also be responsible for trade and employment, areas that fall under the mini ...

's cabinet on 9 August 2011. In January 2012, he resigned for health reasons. In the 18 January cabinet reshuffle, he was replaced by MR Pongsavas Svasti.

Personal life

Wannarat is married to Temsiri Channukul, who is a high school teacher, and the sister of Lt. Poonpirom Liptapanlop, Wannarat's predecessor as Minister of Energy. Poonpirom is married to Suwat Liptapanlop, who is a Chart Pattana Puea Pandin politician. Wannarat and Temsiri Channukul have one son.

Royal decorations

Wannarat Channukul has been decorated with the special class of both the

Order of the White Elephant __NOTOC__ The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก; ) is an order (decoration), orde ...

and the

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 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Channukul, Wannarat University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul 1949 births Living people Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul Wannarat Channukul