General
Teerawat Putamanonda Putamanonda
Inspector
General, Ministry of Defense
General
Teerawat became the Inspector General of the Ministry of Defense in October
1999 after serving for 2 years as the Director General of the Ministry's Office
of Policy and Planning. In that capacity, General Teerawat was responsible for
the planning and implementing of the defense reform at the direction the of
current prime minister and defense minister, Mr. Chuan Leekpai. Other important
duties include administering the volunteer‑force pilot project,
coordinating and conducting the defense council monthly meeting in the capacity
as secretary of the council. In addition, he also acts as the Secretary of the
Defense Resources Committee and Secretary of the National Anti‑personnel
Mine Committee.
General Teerawat began
his military career at the age of 16 by enrolling in the Royal Thai Army
preparatory school, followed by 6 months in the Chulachomklao Royal Military
Academy. In 1959, he was chosen to be one of the recipients of the army
scholarship to further his military study in the United States where he
attended the Virginia Military Institute. Upon his graduation in 1964, General
Teerawat was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Royal Thai Army Signal Corps.
His subsequent military education includes airborne and ranger courses in the
United States, command and general staff courses in Thailand and the United
States, and the National Defense College Regular Course,
General Teerawat has
held a variety of positions in the Royal Thai Army and Ministry of Defense in
the past 35 years in service, including Staff Officer and Chief of Intelligence
of the Internal Security Operation Command, Operation Officer of the First Army
Region. In 1981, he was assigned as Deputy Chief, Plan and Policy Division of
the Royal Thai Army 's Directorate of Operation. He later became Director
General of Intelligence of the Royal Thai Army and Chief Intelligence Officer
of the Army's Tactical Operations Center in 1991. Prior to his assignment in the ministry of defense. General
Teerawat was the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence of the Royal Thai
Army from 1995 to 1997,
General Teerawat also
has had extensive work experience in the international environments including
one-year service with the United Nations Command in Korea in 1974‑1975.
From 1985 to 1988, he was assigned as the Army Attaché to Canberra, Australia
upon returning to Thailand in 1989, General Teerawat was detailed to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Assistant Political Military Coordinator
working directly under Air Chief Marshal Siddh Savetsila, former minister of
foreign affairs of Thailand. In this capacity, he coordinated defense and
foreign policies during the political negotiation to settle Cambodian conflict
and represented the ministry of defense in the Paris International Conference
on Cambodia twice in 1989 and 1991. In addition, General Teerawat has often
been involved in strategic and policy level of international security in terms
of seminars, conferences and visits. He continues to represent the Ministry of
Defense in the official party of the current prime minister to attend meetings
of Asean, Asean Regional Forum, Asia Pacific Economic Conference. His recent
travels with the prime minister and defense minister for state visits to
various countries include Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, United States, and
China, United Kingdom. Korea, Brazil, Peru, and Chile.
As the Inspector
General. General Teerawat is a member of the Defense Council. He holds a Master's
Degree of Engineering from University of Maryland. General Teerawat enjoys golf
and tennis. He is married to former Miss Dusadee Penyachoti, they have twin
sons and a daughter