The Royal Gazette published a proclamation granting royal permission to strip the military rank and revoke royal decorations of Lieutenant General Chakkrisit and four commissioned officers serving in the Army and Navy.
On 9 April 2026, the Royal Gazette website published a Prime Minister's Office announcement regarding royal permission to strip military ranks and revoke royal decorations, stating there is a royal command granting permission to strip ranks.
Lieutenant General Chakkrisit, also known as Yongyut Charoenchoatikarn or Laokhetrakarn, a retired officer attached to the Ministry of Defence Secretariat Office, was stripped of his military rank effective 30 January 2025 after a final court verdict sentenced him to prison for fraud against the public.
On 30 January 2025, under Section 12 of the Military Rank Act B.E. 2479 (1936) as amended by Military Rank Act (No. 6) B.E. 2501 (1958), together with Ministry of Defence regulations regarding those unfit to hold military rank and titles B.E. 2507 (1964), Sections 2 and 4, royal permission was also granted to revoke his first-class royal decorations: Order of the White Elephant, Order of the Crown of Thailand, Second Class White Elephant and Crown, Third Class White Elephant and Crown, Fourth Class White Elephant and Crown, and the Chakramala Medal, all awarded under Prime Minister's Office regulations on requesting royal permission to revoke decorations B.E. 2548 (2005), Articles 6 and 7 (2).
Lieutenant General Chakkrisit, also known as Yongyut Charoenchoatikarn or Laokhetrakarn, has already been removed from the list of royal decoration recipients according to the relevant Prime Minister's Office announcements.
Announcement dated 9 April 2026.
Authorized by Royal Command.
Anutin Charnvirakul.
Prime Minister.
Additionally, the Royal Gazette website published a Prime Minister's Office announcement granting royal permission to strip military ranks and revoke royal decorations for four commissioned officers. The royal command permits stripping ranks under Section 12 of the Military Rank Act B.E. 2479 and its amendment B.E. 2501, along with Ministry of Defence regulations on unfit military personnel B.E. 2507, Sections 2 and 4. Royal permission is also granted to revoke all classes of royal decorations awarded to these four officers under Articles 6 and 7 (2) and (4) of the Prime Minister's Office regulations on requesting royal permission to revoke decorations B.E. 2548, as follows.
Affiliated with the Army.
1. Captain Panthep Nokkaew was stripped of his rank effective 9 December 2025 for serious military misconduct and had his Fourth Class Order of the White Elephant and Fifth Class Order of the Crown of Thailand revoked.
2. Second Lieutenant Kittisak Namsom was stripped of his rank effective 15 May 2024 for deserting military service during active duty, and had the Border Service Medal and Gold Elephant Medal revoked.
Affiliated with the Navy.
3. Lieutenant Commander Likhit, also known as Theewit Sarut Samretsap or Kulteerthanathorn, was stripped of his rank.
Effective 18 July 2025, he was sentenced by final court verdict to imprisonment for misconduct in official duties, specifically embezzling property entrusted to him, with the sentence issued on 18 July 2025. His Fourth Class Order of the White Elephant, Fifth Class Order of the Crown of Thailand, Gold Elephant Medal, and Chakramala Medal were revoked.
4. Lieutenant Commander Ekawat, also known as Suriyan or Setthawut Paisanakkrapon or Paidan, was stripped of his rank effective 3 November 2025 for serious military misconduct, and had his Fifth Class Order of the Crown of Thailand, Gold Elephant Medal, and Chakramala Medal revoked.
All four commissioned officers have already been removed from the list of royal decoration recipients according to the relevant Prime Minister's Office announcements.
Announcement dated 9 April 2026.
Authorized by Royal Command.
Anutin Charnvirakul.
Prime Minister.