Chalermchai Sitthisart
A Thai general who rose through special forces ranks to command the army, steering its direction during a period of political transition.
Born 1957 (age 69)·Thai military officer and general·Birthday: October 20·Baby Boomers
Biography
Chalermchai Sitthisart's career is a map of modern Thai military influence. He emerged not from the traditional royal guard factions but from the elite Special Warfare Command, a background in unconventional warfare that set him apart. His ascent through the ranks was steady, marked by postings that deepened his operational and strategic expertise. In 2016, his appointment as Army Commander-in-Chief signaled a shift, placing a special operations veteran at the helm of a powerful institution often enmeshed in national politics. His tenure oversaw the army's role during the final years of King Bhumibol's reign and into a new royal era, a delicate period where the military's relationship with both monarchy and government remained a central, quiet force in Thai life.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Chalermchai was born in 1957, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chalermchai Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Chalermchai's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army in 2016, endorsed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
- Rose to prominence from within the Royal Thai Army Special Warfare Command, a distinct career path from many predecessors.
- Succeeded General Teerachai Nakwanich, taking command as the army's leader in October 2016.
Did You Know?
His appointment was seen as a departure from the traditional 'Burapha Payak' faction that had long dominated senior army positions.
He began his military service after graduating from the Royal Thai Army's specialized military school.
“The army's duty is to protect the nation, religion, and monarchy.”
