# Sarit Thanarat

_Prime Minister of Thailand (1908-1963)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/sarit-thanarat
Last updated: 2026-11-07

> Sarit Thanarat was a Thai politician and military commander. He served as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army and as Minister of Defense during Plaek Phibunsongkhram's premiership. In 1957, he became chief of a military junta after leading a coup in which Phibun was overthrown. Sarit lasted the de facto prime minister only five days before was replaced by Pote Sarasin, but assumed power again as the head of the Revolutionary Council after 1958 coup and then as the eleventh Prime Minister of Thailand in February 1959 until his death in 1963.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 16 June 1908 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Bangkok ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P19))
- **Died:** 8 December 1963 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P570))
- **Place of death:** Bangkok ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Thailand ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; soldier ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P106))
- **Political party:** independent politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P102))
- **Education:** Missouri Military Academy; Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P69))
- **Positions held:** Prime Minister of Thailand (10 February 1959 – 8 December 1963); Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police (1959–1963); Prime Minister of Thailand (20 October 1958 – 8 December 1963); Deputy Minister of Defence of Thailand (28 March 1952 – 21 March 1957) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P39))
- **Awards:** Order of Chula Chom Klao; Order of Rama; Order of the Nine Gems; Grand Cordon of the Order of the White Elephant; Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown of Thailand; Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol; Star of the Republic of Indonesia; Royal Order of Sahametrei; Order of Propitious Clouds; Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín; Cross of Military Merit; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav‎; Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers, 1st class; Great Cross with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; Order of Sikatuna ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621#P166))

## Questions

**When was Sarit Thanarat born?**  
Sarit Thanarat was born on 16 June 1908 in Bangkok.

**What positions has Sarit Thanarat held?**  
Positions held by Sarit Thanarat include: Prime Minister of Thailand (1959–1963); Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police (1959–1963); Prime Minister of Thailand (1958–1963); Deputy Minister of Defence of Thailand (1952–1957).

**Where did Sarit Thanarat study?**  
Sarit Thanarat was educated at Missouri Military Academy, Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.

## Related

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- [Thanom Kittikachorn](https://diginpl.com/people/thanom-kittikachorn)
- [Yingluck Shinawatra](https://diginpl.com/people/yingluck-shinawatra)
- [Thanin Kraivichien](https://diginpl.com/people/thanin-kraivichien)
- [Plaek Phibunsongkhram](https://diginpl.com/people/plaek-phibunsongkhram)
- [Thaksin Shinawatra](https://diginpl.com/people/thaksin-shinawatra)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Sarit Thanarat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarit_Thanarat) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q975621](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q975621) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Sarit Thanarat portrait.jpg by Unknown author Unknown author (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sarit_Thanarat_portrait.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Sarit Thanarat, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Sarit Thanarat portrait.jpg — Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Sarit Thanarat". DigiNepal. Last updated 7 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/sarit-thanarat. Retrieved 10 November 2026.