Succeeded by Pichai Naripthaphan Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Role Thai Politician | Succeeded by Pongsavas Svasti Name Wannarat Channukul Preceded by Chaiwuti Bannawat Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat | |
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Political party Thai Rak Thai Party, National Development Party | ||
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Education Chulalongkorn University | ||
Wannarat Channukul (Thai: วรรณรัตน์ ชาญนุกูล, rtgs: Wannarat Channukun; born 8 March 1949 in Nakhon Ratchasima) is a Thai physician and politician. He is the leader of the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party. From 2008 to 2011, he was Minister of Energy in the cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva. and from 2011 to 2012 Minister of Industry in the cabinet of Yingluck Shinawatra.
Wannarat Channukul studied Medicine at the Chulalongkorn University, graduating with an M.D., and Law at the Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, graduating with an LL.B. He continued his education at the University of Hawaii, receiving a Master of Public Health degree. Subsequently, he worked as a doctor at the Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital.
In 1992, Wannarat was elected to the parliament to represent Nakhon Ratchasima Province and the National Development Party. He was five times re-elected. From 2004 to 2007 he belonged to the Thai Rak Thai Party of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, until the government was overthrown by the military and the Constitutional Court banned the party. Wannarat's political faction merged with the Thais United party to form the Thais United National Development Party. He became Minister for Energy in Somchai Wongsawat's government for three months, until the minor parties broke their coalition with the People's Power Party and elected Abhisit Vejjajiva to be Prime Minister. Nevertheless, Wannarat stayed in office. Before the 2011 general election, he merged his United National Development Party with the Puea Pandin Party to form the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party, which he now chairs.
After the 2011 election, Wannarat Channukul led the party into coalition with the successful Pheu Thai Party and was appointed Minister of Industry in Yingluck Shinawatra's cabinet on 9 August 2011. In January 2012, he asked the Prime Minister for his dismissal for health reasons. In the 18 January cabinet reshuffle, he was replaced by MR Pongsavas Svasti.
Wannarat is married to Temsiri Channukul, who is a high school teacher, and the sister of Lt. Poonpirom Liptapanlop, Wannarat's predecessor as Minister of Energy. Poonpirom again, is married to Suwat Liptapanlop, who is a Chart Pattana Puea Pandin politician as well. Wannarat and Temsiri Channukul have one son.
Dr. Wannarat Channukul has been decorated with the special class of both the Order of the White Elephant and the Order of the Crown of Thailand.