Varawut Silpa-archa
{{Short description|Thai Minister of Social Development and Human Security since 2023 (born 1973)}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Varawut Silpa-archa
| image = File:Varawut Silpa-archa in 2023.png
| caption = Varawut in 2023
| native_name = วราวุธ ศิลปอาชา
| native_name_lang = th
| office = Minister of Social Development and Human Security
| primeminister = Srettha Thavisin
Paetongtarn Shinawatra
| term_start = 1 September 2023
| term_end =
| predecessor = Juti Krairiksh
| successor =
| office1 = Leader of the Chartthaipattana Party
| term_start1 = 10 October 2022
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = Kanchana Silpa-archa
| successor1 =
| office2 = Minister of Natural Resources and Environment
| primeminister2 = Prayut Chan-o-cha
| term_start2 = 10 July 2019
| term_end2 = 1 September 2023
| predecessor2 = Surasak Karnjanarat
| successor2 = Patcharawat Wongsuwan
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|07|11|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Bangkok, Thailand
| party = Chartthaipattana
| otherparty = Thai Nation (1995–2008)
| spouse = Suwanna Silpa-archa
| alma_mater = University College London
University of Wisconsin–Madison
| father = Banharn Silpa-archa
| mother = Jamsai Silpa-archa
| relations = {{ubl|Chumpol Silpa-archa (uncle)|Kanchana Silpa-archa (sister)}}|
| signature = Varawut Silpa-archa signature.svg
}}
Varawut Silpa-archa ({{langx|th|วราวุธ ศิลปอาชา}}; {{RTGS|Warawut Sinlapa-acha}}) is a Thai politician and current Minister of Social Development and Human Security under the coalition government of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin since 1 September 2023. Previously, he served as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment 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
Varawut Silpa-archa was born on 11 July 1973 at Bang Khun Phrom Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok. He is the youngest son of Banharn Silpa-archa, a former leader of the Chart Thai Party, and former Prime Minister of Thailand with Khunying Jamsai Silpa-archa. Within his family life, he is married to Suwanna Silpa-archa and has three children.
Varawut graduated from primary and secondary grades 1-2 from Saint Gabriel's College in Bangkok and attended high school in England. He holds a bachelor's degree in B.Eng. (Mechanical Engineering), University College London, United Kingdom, and a master's degree MBA in Finance and Banking, University of Wisconsin–Madison in the United States.
Political careers
Varawut entered the political path following his father by being a member of the House of Representatives Suphan Buri Province in 2001, 2005 and 2007 under the Thai Nation Party and received the position of Deputy Minister of Transport in the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. In 2008, he was disqualified from politics for five years because he was an executive director of the Chart Thai Party, which the Constitutional Court judges decided to dissolve the party.
Later, in the 2019 Thai general election, he was elected on the party-list system and was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Royal decorations
Varawut has received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand:
- 2020 - 80px Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
- 2008 - 80px Knight Grand Cordon of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand
References
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{{s-bef
| before = Juti Krairiksh
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{{s-ttl
| title = Minister of Social Development and Human Security
| years = 2023–present
}}
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{{Banharn Silpa-archa}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silpa-archa, Varawut}}
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
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