Who is Pita Limjaroenrat, Thailand's opposition leader likely to be next PM?

World+Biz

Hindustan TImes
15 May, 2023, 02:00 pm
Last modified: 15 May, 2023, 02:11 pm
If opposition parties accept his proposal to form a coalition government, he will become the country's 30th premier
Pita Limjaroenrat, Move Forward Party's leader and prime ministerial candidate, poses for a picture during an upcoming election campaign event in Bangkok, Thailand, 22 April, 2023. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

Pita Limjaroenrat, Thailand's 42-year-old opposition leader, is set to become the country's next prime minister, with his Move Forward Party emerging as the single-largest party in Sunday's (14 May) parliamentary elections.

On Monday, Limjaroenrat took to Twitter saying he was 'clear' and 'ready' to be the 30th prime minister of Thailand.

"We have the same dream, the same hopes, and we believe that Thailand that we love can be better. Change is possible If we start doing it from today... Our dreams and hopes are quite simple and straightforward," he said in his tweet.

He continued: "Whether you agree or disagree with me, I will be your prime minister. Whether you voted for me or not, I will serve you."

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To become the premier, however, the young leader will need the support of other parties, as Move Forward failed to secure a single-party majority in the 500-member lower house. Accordingly, he has extended an invitation to four other opposition parties, including the runner-up Pheu Thai, to join hands with Move Forward and form a coalition government.

Here is, meanwhile, a brief profile of Pita Limjaroenrat:

1. Born in Bangkok on September 5, 1980, he comes from an influential family. Both his father and uncle have been advisors to Thai governments, with the latter also being a close aide to erstwhile PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

2. A businessman by profession, he has studied in New Zealand and the United States. His alma mater includes the University of Texas, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, among others.

3. At 25, Limjaroenrat became the managing director of CEO Agrifood, a rice bran oil business run by his family. From 2017 to 2018, he was the executive director at Grab Thailand, the Thailand unit of Grab Holdings Inc, a Southeast Asian multinational technological firm.

4. He began his political career with Future Forward Party, the predecessor to Move Forward Party. In March 2020, he was formally elected as the leader of the Move Forward Party.

5. In December 2012, Pita married actress Chutima Teepanart, but the couple got divorced in March 2019. They are parents to a daughter.

Related Topics

Pita Limjaroenrat / Thailand Election / Governance

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