The Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters or the Chief of the Defence Forces (Thai: ผู้บัญชาการกองทัพไทย) is the overall field commander of Royal Thai Armed Forces. He is also in charge of managing the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. Prior to 1960 the post was an ad hoc creation by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, during the Second World War. However under Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajata the position became permanent, and in its early life was even combined with the post of Prime Minister of Thailand. In February 2008 the name of the post was changed from Supreme Commander of the Supreme Command HQ (ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด) to the Commander of the RTAFHQ or Chief of the Defence Forces (ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุดประจำกองบัญชาการกองทัพไทย). The current commander is General