Somchai Wongsawat
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Somchai Wongsawat MPCh MWM GCOS |
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|---|---|
| สมชาย วงศ์สวัสดิ์ | |
 |
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| 26th Prime Minister of Thailand | |
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In office 18 September 2008 – 2 December 2008 |
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| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Preceded by | Samak Sundaravej |
| Succeeded by | Chaovarat Chanweerakul (Acting) |
| Minister of Defence | |
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In office 18 September 2008 – 2 December 2008 |
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| Prime Minister | himself |
| Preceded by | Samak Sundaravej |
| Succeeded by | Prawit Wongsuwan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
31 August 1947 Chawang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand |
| Political party | People's Power Party |
| Spouse(s) | Yaowapha Wongsawat |
| Alma mater |
Thammasat University National Institute of Development Administration |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| Signature |  |
Somchai Wongsawat (Thai: สมชาย วงศ์สวัสดิ์, born 31 August 1947) is a Thai politician, a Prime Minister of Thailand in 2008 and a former executive member of the People's Power Party (PPP) whose political rights have been disenfranchised by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) for five years.
Prior to entering electoral politics, he had served civil service and judicial service, having been appointed Permanent Secretary of Justice (the highest non-elected position in the civil service) in 2000 by the government of Chuan Leekpai. Following his retirement from office in 2006 owing to the pensionable age, he entered politics after the 2006 coup unseating the government of his brother-in-law, Thaksin Shinawatra. He joined the PPP which won the December 2007 parliamentary elections, becoming Minister of Education and Senior Deputy Prime Minister. After the premiership of Samak Sundaravej had been terminated by the ConCourt for contravening the conflict of interests law, Somchai was successfully nominated Prime Minister. His government had to deal with the 2008 Thailand political crisis as well as the global financial crisis of 2008, and the PPP was eventually dissolved by the ConCourt and its executive members, including Somchai, were prohibited from politics for five years for vote-buying committed by Yongyuth Tiyapairat.
Somchai was born at Amphoe Chawang, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, a son of Mr. Choem and Mrs. Dap (Sutsai) Wongsawat. He is a brother-in-law of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, having married their sister Yaowapha. The couple have three children, Mr. Yotchanan Wongsawat, Ms. Chinnicha Wongsawat and Mrs. Chayapha Nam.
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