Chalermchai Sri-on
{{Short description|Thai politician (born 1965)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Chalermchai Sri-on
| native_name = {{nobold|เฉลิมชัย ศรีอ่อน}}
| native_name_lang = th
| image = Chalermchai Srion (cropped).jpg
| caption =
| office = Minister of Natural Resources and Environment
| primeminister = Paetongtarn Shinawatra
| term_start = 3 September 2024
| term_end =
| predecessor = Patcharawat Wongsuwan
| successor =
| office1 = Leader of the Democrat Party
| term_start1 = 9 December 2023{{cref|a}}
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = Jurin Laksanawisit
| successor1 =
| office2 = Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives
| primeminister2 = Prayut Chan-o-cha
| term_start2 = 10 July 2019
| term_end2 = 1 September 2023
| predecessor2 = Krisada Boonyarat
| successor2 = Thamanat Prompow
| office3 = Minister of Labour
| primeminister3 = Abhisit Vejjajiva
| term_start3 = 8 June 2010
| term_end3 = 9 August 2011
| predecessor3 = Paitoon Kaewtong
| successor3 = Padermchai Sasomsap
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|03|07|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand
| party = Democrat
| spouse = Thanyavee Sri-on
| alma_mater = Ramkhamhaeng University
| signature = Chalermchai Srion signature.png
| footnotes = {{cnote|a|Acting: 14 November – 9 December 2023}}
}}
Chalermchai Sri-on ({{langx|th|เฉลิมชัย ศรีอ่อน}}; {{RTGS|Chaloemchai Si-on}}) is a Thai politician who is the current leader of the Democrat Party. He previously served as Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.{{Cite news|date=10 July 2019|title=La Thaïlande a un nouveau gouvernement|work=Thailande-fr|url=https://www.thailande-fr.com/politique/87750-la-thailande-a-un-nouveau-gouvernement|access-date=6 February 2021|language=fr}}{{Cite news|date=10 July 2019|title=New cabinet ministers appointed|work=Bangkok Post|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/1710151/new-cabinet-ministers-appointed|access-date=6 February 2019}}
Early life and education
Chalermchai Sri-on was born on 7 March 1965 in Pran Buri District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. His father was an overseas Chinese who has wives in both China and Thailand.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/mcotfm100.5/videos/919991949307727?locale=th_TH|work=Facebook|date=2024-01-12|accessdate=2024-01-12|language=thai|title=#เจาะลึกประเด็นร้อน (12ม.ค.67)|author=MCOT News FM 100.5}} He graduated high school from Phrommanuson School, Phetchaburi Province. Undergraduate from Faculty of Law, Ramkhamhaeng University and master's degree in Art (Policy and Planning) from Krirk University.{{cite web | url=http://consolidation.rid.go.th/lcfund/index.php/2019-10-12-16-30-12/2019-10-12-16-34-44/27-2020-04-20-19-03-32/37-2020-11-10-09-33-54 | title=ประวัติและผลงาน รัฐมนตรีว่าการกระทรวงเกษตรและสหกรณ์ }}
Political careers
Chalermchai started his political careers as a member of the Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Council in 1990 - 2000 and as the Chairman of the Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Council in 1995 to 1997 and was the first member of the Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial House of Representatives in 2001 election and subsequent elections in 2005, 2007 and 2011. Chalermchai is the Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party responsible of the central region. Subsequently, in the Cabinet reshuffle of the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva on 6 June 2010, he was appointed Minister of Labor.
In the government of Prayut Chan-o-cha, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives.{{cite web | url=https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/118712 | title=กระทรวงข้าใครอย่าแตะ! 'เฉลิมชัย'ลั่นมีอำนาจคุม'กษ.'100% }}
On December 9, 2023, he was elected with 88.5% of the votes as the leader of the Democrat Party, considered the ninth Democrats leader.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/suthichai/status/1733381077237207359|language=thai|author=suthichai|title='เฉลิมชัย ศรีอ่อน' ได้รับเลือกเป็นหัวหน้าพรรคประชาธิปัตย์คนที่ 9 ด้วยคะแนน 88.5 เปอร์เซนต์!|date=2023-12-09|accessdate=2023-12-11|work=X}}
Mr Chalermchai has been facing resistance from the public during his reign of the Democrat Party. To counter this, he has called for changes within the party to win back the previous dominance this party had back in its golden era of Mr Chuan Leekpai.{{Cite news |last=Sattaburuth |first=Aekarach |date=2025-04-27 |title=Democrat head calls for change as party crisis looms |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/3012041/democrat-head-calls-for-change-as-party-crisis-looms |access-date=2025-06-05 |work=Bangkok Post |language=en}}
Royal decorations
Chalermchai has received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand:
- 2010 - 80px Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant[https://web.archive.org/web/20110124052037/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2553/B/014/1.PDF ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือกและเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย ประจำปี 2553]
- 2008 - 80px Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand[https://web.archive.org/web/20090117085435/http://ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2551/B/017-1/1.PDF ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือกและเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย]
Notes
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References
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{{s-bef|before=Krisada Boonyarat}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives|years=2019–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Thamanat Prompow}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sri-on, Chalermchai}}
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