Chatumongkol is a descendant of Thailand's royal family (great-grandson of King Rama IV) and belongs to the noble house of Sonakul.

He rose up through the civil service through the Finance Ministry, initially serving as Director-General of the Tax Department.

This was during the flotation of the baht, which led to a massive devaluation, the Asian Financial Crisis, and a long period of International Monetary Fund intervention.

When the Democrat Party gained control of the government in 2008, it appointed Chatumongkol as chairman of the Board of the Bank of Thailand.

[5] His son, Mom Luang Apimongkol Sonakul [th], was elected to be a Democrat Party MP in Bangkok in the former seat of Charoen Kantawongs.