Anutin Charnvirakul

Nicknamed Noo ({{langx|th|หนู}}; literally: Rattus), Anutin is the son of Chavarat Charnvirakul, former Minister of the Interior in the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva. His family is of Thai Chinese descent with ancestry from Guangdong.{{Cite magazine |date=2023-04-10 |title=The Hands-On Politician Hoping to Win Big in Thailand |url=https://time.com/6264782/anutin-charnvirakul-thailand-prime-minister-election-interview/ |access-date=2024-02-25 |magazine=TIME |language=en}} His first marriage was to Satannuch Charnvirakul and has two children. His second marriage is to Sasitorn Charnvirakul. Anutin completed secondary education at Assumption College and higher education in engineering from Hofstra University in 1989.{{cite web|url=https://www.pptvhd36.com/news/%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%94%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%99/99239|title=เปิดประวัติ "อนุทิน ชาญวีรกูล" วันที่เป็นนักการเมืองอาชีพ|website=PPTV36|date=26 March 2019 }}

Anuthin is heir to a major construction company fortune. His family's company, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction PCL, built several government mega-projects such as Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.{{cite news |title=Who Will Be Thailand's Next Prime Minister? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2019/03/who-will-be-thailands-next-prime-minister/ |accessdate=4 March 2020 |work=The Diplomat |agency=Associated Press |date=22 March 2019}} An engineer, Anuthin served as president of Sino-Thai.{{cite news |last1=Suksamran |first1=Nauvarat |title=Anutin's career takes flight |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/316772/anutin-career-takes-flight |accessdate=4 March 2020 |work=Bangkok Post |date=13 October 2012}}

In 1996, he entered politics by becoming adviser to Prachuap Chaiyasan (the Minister of Foreign Affairs) and served as Deputy Minister of Public Health from 2004 to 2005 and Deputy Minister of Commerce in 2004. He was then banned from political office for five years due to his membership of the Thai Rak Thai Party.{{Cite web | url=https://www.sanook.com/news/7781730/ | title=อนุทิน ภูมิใจไทย จับขั้วพลังประชารัฐ ตั้งรัฐบาล หลังเล่นตัวนานกว่า 2 เดือน|website=Sanook| date=25 May 2019}} Anutin then joined the Bhumjai Thai Party in 2012 after the expiration of the ban and was elected as the leader of the Bhumjai Thai Party on 14 October 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2555/D/148/64.PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327030709/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2555/D/148/64.PDF|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 27, 2019|title=ประกาศนายทะเบียนพรรคการเมือง เรื่อง ตอบรับการเปลี่ยนแปลงคณะกรรมการบริหารพรรคภูมิใจไทย (จำนวน ๙ ราย)|website=Government Gazette}}

In the 2019 Thai general election, he was the Bhumjai Thai Party's candidate for prime minister.

Anutin has been a leading proponent of medical marijuana.{{cite news |last1=Somerset |first1=Sara Brittany |title=Thailand Will Soon Allow Its Citizens To Grow Cannabis At Home To Sell To The Government |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarabrittanysomerset/2019/11/17/thailand-will-allow-its-citizens-to-grow-cannabis-at-home-to-sell-to-the-government/#1c816726591e |accessdate=26 March 2020 |work=Forbes |date=17 November 2019}} In May 2022 he said his ministry would give away 1 million cannabis plants in June 2022 to Thai households for license-free cultivation.{{Cite news |last1=Ives |first1=Mike |last2=Suhartono |first2=Muktita |date=2022-05-12 |title=Thailand Will Give Away 1 Million Weed Plants |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/12/world/asia/thailand-legal-weed-plant.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220522212837/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/12/world/asia/thailand-legal-weed-plant.html |archive-date=22 May 2022 |access-date=2024-02-29 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Anutin made a series of derogatory comments disparaging foreigners.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7OckmzrYh0|title=Thailand News Today - March 13, 2020|via=www.youtube.com}}{{Cite web |date=March 13, 2020 |title=Minister Anutin White Western Foreigners Tourists Public Face Masks |url=https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2020/03/13/minister-anutin-white-western-foreigners-tourists-public-face-masks/%5B%5D%5B%5D |website=www.thaiexaminer.com}} Anutin wrote on a Twitter account, "...all you see are farangs ('Westerners'). They flee their own countries for the safety of Thailand. In Chiang Mai, 90% of Thais are wearing face masks, although none of the farangs are wearing masks." He went on to add, "This is the reason our country is being infected [by the SARS-CoV-2 virus]. We should be more careful of the farang than other Asians. At the moment it is winter in Europe and farang come to Thailand to hide from the [Covid-19] disease. Many farang dress dirtily and don't shower. All [Thai] hosts have to be very careful."{{Cite web | url=https://www.khaosod.co.th/special-stories/news_3744198 | title=อนุทิน ทวีตแรงจวกฝรั่งสกปรกเข้าไทย สาเหตุตัวนำเชื้อ อ๋อย จวกกลับแรงเหยียด| date=13 March 2020}}

Following a negative public reaction to Anutin's outburst, the Twitter account was deleted, after attracting hundreds of comments across various media platforms, criticizing his ill-considered remarks, with some commentators pointing out that Thailand did not appreciate the contribution made to its economy by foreign tourism.{{Cite web |date=2019 |title=Thailand's Wealth Inequality is the Highest in the World, What Does This Mean for Upcoming Elections? |url=https://www.aseantoday.com/2019/01/thailands-wealth-inequality-is-the-highest-in-the-world-what-does-this-mean-for-upcoming-elections/%5B%5D%5B%5D |website=www.aseantoday.com}} Pressed on the matter, Anutin later claimed that he did not know who the Twitter account belonged to and that he did not post the comments, although he later apologised for them.{{Cite web |title=Health Minister Denies Racist Tweet |url=https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/politics/health-minister-denies-racist-tweet%5B%5D%5B%5D |website=thethaiger.com}} The Thai language news website Khaosod covered the incident in detail, showing a portion of the original comments before the Twitter account was deleted.

A month prior to his March outburst, in February 2020, Anutin was criticised for remarking that foreigners should be kicked out of Thailand when he saw some who were not wearing face masks at an event at the Siam BTS station in Bangkok.{{Cite web |date=February 7, 2020 |title=Thai Minister Sorry For Threatening Tourists Not Wearing Masks |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-07/thai-minister-sorry-for-threatening-tourists-not-wearing-masks%5B%5D |website=www.bloomberg.com}} Later, hearing advice from the US Surgeon General, Dr Jerome Adams, that the wearing of masks was unnecessary for the uninfected, Anutin changed his opinion.

Anutin has received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand:

• 80px Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephantราชกิจจานุเบกษา [https://web.archive.org/web/20070108000109/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2537/B/021V1/1.PDF ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ (ชั้นต่ำกว่าสายสะพาย ชั้นสายสะพาย สมาชิกวุฒิสภา เนื่องในวโรกาสพระราชพิธีเฉลิมพระชนมพรรษา วันที่ ๕ ธันวาคม ๒๕๓๗)]{{full citation needed|date=March 2020}}
• 80px Knight Grand Cordon of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand{{cite web|url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2538/B/017V001/1_1.PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202175145/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2538/B/017V001/1_1.PDF|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 2, 2010|title=ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ (ชั้นสายสะพาย จำนวน ๔,๒๓๘ ราย)|website=Government Gazette}}
• 80x80px Knight Commander of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
• 80x80px Order of the Direkgunabhorn, Silver Medal
• 80x80px King Rama X Royal Cypher Medal, Third Class

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Anutin Charnvirakul

Category:1966 births

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul

Category:Living people

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul

Category:Cantonese people

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin Charnvirakul