A profile of Lieutenant General Adul Boonthamcharoen, known as the “Warrior of Lower Isan,” who has maintained his post as Minister of Defense and remains in the Anutin 2 Cabinet. Having formerly served as Deputy Minister, he has now risen to become Minister of Defense.
On 31 March 2026, it became clear that Lieutenant General Adul Boonthamcharoen, or “Big Dul,” whose name had circulated as the leading candidate to oversee security affairs including the Thai-Cambodian border and Middle East conflicts, was officially appointed. Following the Royal Gazette’s publication of the royal decree appointing the Anutin 2 Cabinet, his name appeared as Minister of Defense, advancing from his previous role as Deputy Minister of Defense in the first Anutin Cabinet.
Lieutenant Colonel Adul Boonthamcharoen, nicknamed “Big Dul,” was born on 2 June 1964 and is currently 61 years old. He is the son of Mr. Udom Boonthamcharoen and the late Mrs. Thongyu Boonthamcharoen, who passed away in 2018. Her royal funeral was presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn at Wat Klang (a royal temple) in Buriram Province.
In his personal life, he is married to Mrs. Suphis Boonthamcharoen, former president of the Army Wives Association of the 2nd Army Area. She has played a prominent role in social welfare and in supporting military families in Lower Isan. They have two children.
Lieutenant General Adul completed primary education at Wat Lat Bua Khao School, Hua Sai Subdistrict, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province. He completed secondary education at Prachinrat Amnuang School in Prachinburi Province and attended the 17th Army Non-Commissioned Officer School before passing the entrance exam to the 26th Preparatory School Class (Pre-cadet). He then graduated from the 37th class of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. He also attended the 61st class of the National Defence College, the same class as Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
He began his military service in Lower Isan (Surin-Buriram). Notably, he commanded Ranger Battalion 26 (Pak Thong Chai and Bodindecha Camps), a key unit guarding the Thai-Cambodian border. He earned high trust for his management of personnel and intelligence in the border area.
Between 2008 and 2011, during conflicts along the Thai-Cambodian border, he served as Commander of Infantry Battalion 234 and later Deputy Commander of Infantry Regiment 23. He led forces securing critical points such as the Phra Viharn and Ta Kwai-Ta Muean Thom temples, becoming one of the officers most deeply knowledgeable about the geography and tactics of the area. He later advanced to Commander of Infantry Regiment 23, a primary combat unit in Lower Isan; Commander of the 6th Infantry Division; and Commander of the Suranaree Task Force overseeing security along the entire Lower Isan border, before becoming Deputy Commander of the 2nd Army Area.
In 2023, he was appointed Commander of the 2nd Army Area, responsible for all 20 provinces in Isan. His policies focused on drug interdiction along the Mekong River and fostering relations with neighboring countries while safeguarding sovereignty. Lieutenant General Adul is respected by the “Black Warriors,” the majority of border troops, and earned the nickname “Warrior of Lower Isan” due to his longstanding service in the Isan region, especially along the Thai-Cambodian border.
After retiring from military service, Lieutenant General Adul was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense in the first Anutin Cabinet, assigned to oversee border security and military strategy due to his deep understanding of Thai-Cambodian border issues, both operationally and diplomatically. When the Anutin 2 Cabinet was formed, his name again surfaced as a candidate for Minister of Defense. Sources indicate that besides being a classmate of Prime Minister Anutin at the National Defence College 61st class, he also has longstanding close ties with the “Buriram power base,” as they are from the same region.
