New Air Force chief appointed in annual military reshuffle

ACM Manat Wongwat has been promoted from the post of Air Force chief of staff to the post of Air Force commander-in-chief.
The reshuffle will take effect on October 1.
Other key transfers included the promotion of First Army Area commander Lt-General Narongphan Jitkaewthae to the post of assistant Army commander-in-chief, a move seen as positioning him for a possible later promotion to the top Army post.
Narongphan’s previous powerful post was given to First Army Corps commander Lt-General Thammanoon Withi.
In the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence, General Kukiart Srinakha was transferred from assistant Army chief to deputy permanent secretary.
Other new deputy permanent secretaries for Defence are General Napon Sangsomwong and Admiral Sompraspong Nilsamai, while Lt-General Kongcheep Tantrawanit was transferred from director of the Defence Bureaucratic Development Office to director-general of the Defence Science and Technology Department.
In the Supreme Command, key transfers included General Chaichana Nakkerd moving from joint chief of staff to the post of deputy supreme commander, while General Chalermpol Srisawant became the new joint chief of staff.
Also in the Supreme Command, General Phirapong Muangboonchu, staff officer of the supreme command, was made the commander of the Armed Forces Development Command.
In the Royal Thai Navy, Admiral Chochat Krathet was promoted from Navy advisor to deputy Navy chief, while Admiral Chartchai Sriworakhan was promoted from Navy chief of staff to assistant Navy chief. The post of Navy chief of staff was given to Vice Admiral Sitthiporn Maskasem, commander of the Third Naval Area.