Sontirat Sontijirawong

Sontirat Sontijirawong
สนธิรัตน์ สนธิจิรวงศ์
File:สนธิรัตน์ ครอบตัด.jpg Sontirat in 2019
Minister of Energy
In office 10 July 2019 – 15 July 2020
Prime Minister	Prayut Chan-o-cha
Preceded by	Siri Jirapongpan
Succeeded by	Supattanapong Punmeechaow
Minister of Commerce
In office 23 November 2017 – 29 January 2019
Prime Minister	Prayut Chan-o-cha
Preceded by	Apiradi Tantraporn
Succeeded by	Jurin Laksanawisit
Personal details
Born	(1960-03-19) 19 March 1960 Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Political party	Palang Pracharath Party (2018-2020), (2023-)
Other political affiliations	Sang Anakot Thai (2022-2023)
Alma mater	Chulalongkorn University
Profession	Businessman Politician

Sontirat Sontijirawong (Thai: สนธิรัตน์ สนธิจิรวงศ์; born 19 March 1960) is a former Thai politician. He served as Minister of Energy in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Supattanapong Punmeechaow was appointed as his successor. On 19 January 2022, Sontirat formed a new party alongside Uttama Savanayana called Sang Anakot Thai (Building Thailand's Future).

Early life and education

Sontirat born on 19 March 1960 in the area of Mueang Kanchanaburi district (now promoted into Dan Makham Tia district since the 1990s). He holds a bachelor's degree in Material science and a Master of Business Administration from Chulalongkorn University.

Careers

Sontirat was a businessman. He was a former member of the National Reform Council, later he was appointed as an advisor to the Minister of Industry in September 2015 by the advice of Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and then was appointed as Deputy Minister of Commerce in December 2016 and Minister of Commerce in November 2017. After he joined Palang Pracharath Party in the 2019 Thai general election, he was appointed by Prayut Chan-o-cha to the position of Minister of Energy until July 2020.

Royal decorations

• 2015 - File:Order of the Direkgunabhorn 4th class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Companion (Fourth Class) of The Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn
• 2017 - File:Order of the Crown of Thailand - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Grand Cross (First Class) Order of the Crown of Thailand
• 2020 - File:Order of the White Elephant - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Knight Commander (Second Class) Order of the White Elephant