President of Kaona

President of Republic of Kaona
ประธานาธิบดี แห่ง สาธารณรัฐ ข้าวนาำ Praṭhānāṭhibdī h̄æ̀ng s̄āṭhārṇrạṭ̄h Kâaona
Incumbent Kongsampong Khumpai since 14th February 2022
Style	His/Her Excellency
Member of	Council of Ministers National Security Council
Residence	Presidential Palace
Appointer	Direct election
Term length	Four years; renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Kaona
Inaugural holder	Somjit Wonjongkam (inaugural) Yuttapong Rakkiatgym (current constitution)
Deputy	Prime Minister
Salary	NGN 200,000,000 ($219,058.05)

The President of the Republic of Kaona (Kaonese: ประธานาธิบดี แห่ง สาธารณรัฐ ข้าวนาำ, Praṭhānāṭhibdī h̄æ̀ng s̄āṭhārṇrạṭ̄h Kâaona; Bassac: ປະທານາທິບໍດີ ແຫ່ງ ສາທາລະນະລັດ ຂອງ ເຂົ້າສະໜາມ, Pathanathibodi aehng sathalanalad khong Khaosanam) is the head of state and highest executive position of the Republic of Kaona. The President also serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Kaona. It is the highest office of state in Kaona.

The President has been the head of state since the 1948 coup that deposed the Ratchakao monarchy. Under the 1954 constitution the presidency was elected through an electoral collage rather then the current system of direct election for a term of six years. The presidency was replaced as head of state by the Chairman of the National Council for the Defence of Democracy (NCDD), a military dictator from 1970 to 1982 when the current constitution was passed which reintroduced democratic rule as well as electing the president directly for the first time.

The presidency is restricted to serving two consecutive four year terms with elections performed via a two round system. Officially the president has the power to veto certain legislation, appoint the government and approve of ministers, ratifies treaties, nominates members of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts with parliamentary approval, declare war and grant pardons. The president can also dismiss the prime minister and cabinet although has to do so with parliamentary approval. The president is often considered to have control over all foreign and defence policy compared to the prime minister and cabinet which handle domestic policy. In the event of a vacancy of the president the prime minister serves the reminder of their presidential term.

The current president is Kongsampong Khumpai who is a member of the Chart Pattana Party. Khumpai was elected in the 2021-22 presidential election taking office on the 14^th February 2022.

List

  Armed Forces of Kaona
  Republican Party of Kaona
  Liberal Democratic Party
  People's Democrat Party
  Chart Pattana Party
  Aspiration Party

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Days	Election	Prime Minister(s)	Political Party
Chairman of the Committee of National Reconstruction
1		Chom Phon Somjit Wonjongkam สมจิตร วันจงคำ (1905-1967)	10th August 1948	24th May 1950	1 year, 9 months and 14 days	N/A	N/A	Military
			Having served with distinction during the Hmukeaathale War Wonjongkam came to power in a coup d'état overthrowing the Ratchakao monarchy and creating a provisional military government, the Committee of National Reconstruction. A permanent constitution was signed in 1950 which saw Wonjongkam resign as head of state.
President of the Republic
2		Kanaphan Panjamawat คณพันธ์ ปัญจมะวัต (1892-1959)	24th May 1950	24rd May 1956	6 years	1950	Somyot Prasarttong Sanoh Pakchotanon Nongchai Titawasira Baritharn Panyarachun Somjit Wonjongkam	RPK
			An ophthalmologist elected by the Kaonese parliament for a single six year term, Panjamawat was initially seen as a puppet of the popular prime minister and independence leader Somyot Prasarttong. However the two had become enemies by 1952 with Panjamawat dismissing Prasarttong causing a crisis. New elections saw Prasarttong killed during the campaign with his Republican party again being the largest in the country. Another crisis in 1954 saw Panjamawat offer the popular Wonjongkam to head a military cabinet. Wonjongkam would subsequently begin moulding a new constitution that weakened parliament, abolished the premiership and outlawed political parties. Wonjongkam would succeed Panjamawat as president when the latter's term expired in 1956.
(1)		Somjit Wonjongkam สมจิตร วันจงคำ (1905-1967)	24th May 1956	3rd August 1965	9 years, 2 months and 10 days	1956 1962	Post abolished	RPK
			Returning to power to a six year term in 1956, Wonjongkam sought to put the instability of the early republic to rest by ruling in an authoritarian manner. During Wonjongkam's presidency the country underwent economic development via a model of import substitution industrialisation as well as implementing a variety of progressive social reforms. However Wonjongkam was widely regarded as a dictator. In the latter half of his rule Wonjongkam moved from a militaristic to a more technocratic approach promoting civilian bureaucrats to high ranking positions relying on the political left to support his regime increasingly pursuing more socialist policies. He died in office in 1967.
3		Noppadorn Kamamana นพดล กามะมานะ (1910-1981)	3rd August 1965	22nd March 1969	3 years, 7 months and 19 days	1968	Post abolished	RPK
			A minister under Wonjongkam Kamamana's presidency saw the deepening of the alliance between the bureaucracy and the socialist left. However increasing violence from ethnic minority groups alongside continuing traditionalist opposition to the republican regime led to the state to enter a crisis during Kamamana's rule and in 1969 he was deposed in a coup d'état.
Chairman of the National Council for the Defence of Democracy
4		Phon ek Kanok Pukkavesh กนก พุกกะเวส (1912-1976)	22nd March 1969	16th June 1973	4 years, 2 months and 25 days	N/A	Post abolished	Military
			Coming to power as head of the National Council for the Defence of Democracy (NCDD) Pukkavesh led an aggressive strategy of counter-insurgency against militant groups whilst supporting an expansionist foreign policy abroad. His government was seen as incredibly repressive and worsened social conflict in the country. In 1973 he was gunned down by an unknown assailant.
5		Phon tho Sukampol Kulapongvanich สุกำพล กุลพงษ์วณิชย์ (1926-2012)	16th June 1973	4th April 1974	9 months and 19 days	N/A	Post abolished	Military
			Succeeding Pukkavesh Kulapongvanich was considered to be a hardliner within the regime advocating the imposition of a permanent dictatorship. Considered to be overseeing the most repressive phase of the dictatorship Kulapongvanich was ousted by more moderate colleagues in the 4-4 coup after being accused of royalism.
6		Phon ek Yuttapong Rakkiatgym ยุทธพงษ์ รักเกียรติยิม (1919-2020)	4th April 1974	14th February 1978	3 years, 10 months and 10 days	N/A	Post abolished	Military
			A moderate member of the ruling junta, Rakkiatgym focused on continuing the aggressive counter-insurgency strategy whilst also engaging in peace talks with more moderate opposition groups. The late 1970's Phuko Accords saw Rakkiatgym implement a series of ceasefires and demobilisation of rebel groups and in 1977 passed a new constitution that paved the way for multi-party elections.
President of the Republic
(6)		Yuttapong Rakkiatgym ยุทธพงษ์ รักเกียรติยิม (1919-2020)	14th February 1978	14th February 1986	8 years	1978 1981-82	Yongyuth Chatikavanij Thaklaew Atchariyaboonyong	LDP
			Rakkiatgym was elected to the presidency in 1978 and was re-elected in 1982, both times being accused of electoral fraud. Under his presidency Rakkiatgym largely focused on continued demobilisation of rebel groups as well as continuing the developmentalist policies that were implemented by the Wonjongkam cabinet. Despite high economic growth the bureaucratic, developmentalist state began to show signs of weakness by the end of Rakkiatgym's term with Rakkiatgym leaving office with high unemployment and debt.
7		Tawatwong Sonakul ธวัชวงศ์ โสณกุล (1916-2000)	14th February 1986	14th February 1994	8 years	1985-86 1989-90	Khamphaeng Xayadeth Chakthip Khaopa	PDP
			A former member of the leftist opposition Sonakul focused on social reform and democratisation in his term. His centre-left policies got cautious support from the military particularly as Sonakul's government dealt with traditionalist opposition in a hardline manner. The economy however went into recession during his term.
8		Chakthip Khaopa จักรทิพย์ ข้าวปุ้น (1948-)	14th February 1994	14th February 2002	8 years	1993-94 1997	Thaklaew Atchariyaboonyong Khamphaeng Xayadeth Thanin Kittipromwong	CPP
			A former military bureaucrat Khaopa was elected on a broad coalition of both rural traditionalists and the military. Under Khaopa's term economic liberalisation was implemented which resulted in high economic growth. This growth led to the Khaopa government to become popular despite accusations of corruption and stoking ethnic violence due to xenophobic rhetoric from Khaopa. He was re-elected in 1998 and in 2002 his handpicked successor Thanin Kittipromwong became president.
		Thanin Kittipromwong ธานินทร์ กิตติพรหมวงศ์ (1950-)	14th February 2002	14th February 2006	4 years	2001-02	Chakthip Khaopa Ousavanh Vongvichit	CPP ↓ AP
9
			Having been the protégé of his predecessor Kittipromwong was initially seen as Khaopa's puppet, a fact reinforced when Kittipromwong appointed Khaopa as prime minister in a system most commented was a tandemocracy. However Kittipromwong had a split with Khaopa in the lead-up to the 2006 legislative elections forming the Aspiration Party. He was defeated by Khaopa in his bid for re-election in 2006 after being seen to lose military support.
(8)		Chakthip Khaopa จักรทิพย์ ข้าวปุ้น (1948-)	14th February 2006	14th February 2014	8 years	2005-06 2009-10	Prapat Kongkran Kongsampong Khumpai	CPP
			Returning to power in 2006 Khaopa continued much of the same policies he had implemented in his previous term as president. He became increasingly criticised for corruption and authoritarianism particularly after the 2008 Thammacot riots. Khaopa only narrowly won the 2010 elections which many believed was rigged by the authorities to ensure his victory, leading to large-scale protests throughout 2010 and 2011. Khaopa's term nevertheless saw stable economic growth and amid low approval ratings he peacefully transferred power in 2014 after his handpicked candidate lost to the opposition.
10		Lursakdi Sonakul เลอศักดิ์ โสณกุล (1968-)	14th February 2014	14th February 2022	8 years	2013-14 2017-18	Ananada Keacham Xaisomboun Thonemany Phoumi Kittikhoun	PDP
			Coming to power with the support of the military and secular elements, Sonakul's government emphasised the so-called Five Fundamentals (economic growth, low unemployment, economic modernisation, a strong welfare state and protection of Kaonese values). A drop in resource prices meant that the Kaonese economy saw a decline in her tenure. Protests in 2020 over government corruption have resulted in a further decline in Sonakul's popularity particularly amongst non-urban communities.
11		Kongsampong Khumpai คงสมพงษ์ คุ้มภัย (1957-)	14th February 2022	Present	2 years, 10 months and 8 days	2021-2022	Xaisomboun Thonemany	CPP
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