Chavarat Charnvirakul

Chavarat Charnvirakul (Thai: ชวรัตน์ ชาญวีรกูล, RTGS: Chawarat Chanwirakun, Thai pronunciation: [t͡ɕʰá.wá.rát t͡ɕʰaːn.wiː.rá.kun]; born 7 June 1936) is a Thai politician. He had served as an acting prime minister of Thailand as a result of the 2008 Thai political crisis. His family is of Thai Chinese descent with ancestry from Guangdong.

Chavarat Charnvirakul MPCh WMW
ชวรัตน์ ชาญวีรกูล
Chavarat in 2009
Acting Prime Minister of Thailand
In office 2 December 2008 – 17 December 2008
Monarch	Bhumibol Adulyadej
Preceded by	Somchai Wongsawat
Succeeded by	Abhisit Vejjajiva
Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
In office 24 September 2008 – 16 December 2008
Prime Minister	Somchai Wongsawat Himself (acting)
Minister of the Interior
In office 20 December 2008 – 6 August 2011
Prime Minister	Abhisit Vejjajiva
Preceded by	Kowit Wattana
Succeeded by	Yongyuth Wichaidit
Minister of Public Health
In office 2 August 2008 – 23 September 2008
Prime Minister	Samak Sundaravej
Preceded by	Chaiya Sasomsub
Succeeded by	Chalerm Yubamrung
Minister of Social Development and Human Security
In office 24 May 2008 – 2 August 2008
Prime Minister	Samak Sundaravej
Preceded by	Sutha Chansaeng
Succeeded by	Anusorn Wongwan
Leader of the Bhumjaithai Party
In office 14 February 2009 – 3 September 2012
Preceded by	Pipat Promvaraporn
Succeeded by	Anutin Charnvirakul
Personal details
Born	(1936-06-07) 7 June 1936 Bangkok, Siam
Political party	Bhumjaithai (2009–14)
Other political affiliations	People's Power (2007–08)
Spouse	Tassanee Chanweerakul
Children	Anutin Charnvirakul
Alma mater	Thammasat University
Signature
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	陳景鎮
Simplified Chinese	陈景镇
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Chén Jǐngzhèn Yue: Cantonese Jyutping can4 ging2 zan3

Education

Chavarat graduated from Thammasat University in 1966 with a degree in economics.

Political career

After spending many years in the public sector, he joined the government in 1994 as Deputy Minister of Finance, his tenure lasted till 1997. In 2008 he rejoined the government as Minister of Public Health and later Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand.

On 2 December 2008, the Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the People's Power Party and other coalition parties, at the same time banning their chief executives. The incumbent Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, was then removed along with several other members of the Cabinet. Chavarat, however, was the only senior Cabinet figure who was not a party executive and was therefore the only viable candidate. Either the House of Representatives of Thailand had to confirm him as the new Prime Minister, or the new political grouping must vote for a new leader and submit his name for approval. There has been some questions - even a letter submitted to the Constitutional Court by Senators - concerning the legality of his temporary appointment as Prime Minister (even in a caretaker capacity). This is because the 2007 Constitution of Thailand states that the Prime Minister must be a member of the House of Representatives; Chavarat was not an MP. Chavarat was replaced by Abhisit Vejjajiva on 15 December 2008. He was appointed Minister of Interior of Thailand in the Abhisit cabinet, a post which he held until the government's electoral defeat in 2011. On 14 February 2009, Chavarat became the leader of the Bhumjai Thai Party until 4 September 2012, in which he was succeeded by his son, Anutin Charnvirakul.

Royal decorations

• Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
• Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
• Honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)