The People Awards 2025 announces 10 People of the Year

As The People marks its 8th year, the online platform continues to showcase inspiring stories of individuals under the belief that "Everyone Has Their Own Inspiring Story."

The power of people and the transformation they bring has always been at the heart of The People's mission.

Through its annual awards, ‘The People Awards,’ the platform celebrates the actions of those who drive waves of change in the world, each year focusing on a different central theme.

For the 4th edition of The People Awards in 2025, the honorees were selected for their courageous leadership in creating change, embodying the theme ‘Rise to Lead.’

This year’s concept emphasizes that leadership is not confined to positions but is defined by those who dare to think, act, and drive societal change from their own perspectives. It reinforces the belief that anyone, regardless of title, has the power to create significant transformation.

In addition, The People Awards introduced a new category, ‘Campaign of the Year,’ to recognize campaigns that have driven societal change through bold, innovative thinking and actions.

The award ceremony for The People Awards 2025 took place at Crystal Box on the 19th floor of Gaysorn Urban Resort on March 21, 2025, with attendees from diverse fields, including nominees, experts from various sectors, and distinguished guests who play significant roles in society.

The award announcements began with the ‘Popular of the Year’ award, where the public had the opportunity to vote through The People's website to select one of the 100 finalists they believed to be the most inspiring and impactful in driving change in their own way. During the voting period, a total of 3,776,575 votes were cast by the public.

The recipient of the Popular of the Year 2025 award was Ingfa Waraha, musician, beauty pageant titleholder and actress , who received the highest percentage of votes, with 48.3%.

The ‘Campaign of the People’ award, given to individuals who have made continuous and significant contributions to social change, was awarded this year to Chote and Kalaya Sophonpanich.

This couple, who have worked side by side for over 54 years, have contributed to various sectors of development, including public health policy, education, science, and the environment, through their roles in the Thai Public Policy Foundation and the Rajaphruek Institute Foundation.

Their efforts have helped drive sustainable change at the structural level, setting a strong example as individuals who persistently push for and create positive transformation.

The new ‘Campaign of the Year’ award was introduced to recognize campaigns or social movements that have made a concrete positive impact, reflecting The People's belief that "change" does not come from one person alone but can be driven by the collective power of people who share the same vision.

This award allowed the public to participate by nominating campaigns they believed deserved recognition.

The winner of the 2025 Campaign of the Year award was "Wildfire Volunteer Firefighters" by the Mirror Foundation. This initiative, which has been actively engaged in wildfire fighting missions across various regions in Thailand for over 6 years, successfully involves volunteers and local communities in protecting natural resources and human lives. 

The ‘Corporate of the Year’ award honours businesses that have demonstrated a positive social impact through creativity, sustainability, and social responsibility. This year, three organizations received awards:

Strategic Impact & Collaboration Award: Recognizing the power of youth in driving innovation and tangible results, awarded to TTA LAB for providing opportunities for young people to actively engage in projects that create impactful innovations.

The Creative Thai Spirit: Awarded to Punthai Coffee for creatively developing Thai identity, growing sustainably, and making a lasting impact through bold ideas, new methods, and a willingness to embrace change.

Living & Property: Awarded to TOA Paint (Thailand) Public Company Limited for its leadership in the industry and its unwavering commitment to driving positive, sustainable change in the sector.

The ‘People of the Year’ award, the main and most significant part of The People Awards, honours 10 individuals from various fields who have led change in unique ways.

This reflects the belief that leadership can manifest in every dimension, sector, and individual, as long as they have the courage to face challenges, think differently, stand firm in their values, and rise to create change in their own way.

The recipients of the People of the Year 2025 award are:

Wit Sittivaekin – Education/Science

Rabeab Wathasilp Band – Art/Culture/Literature/Design

Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput – Business/Marketing/Finance/ESG

Dr Surapong Seubwonglee – Politics

Moo Deng & Athapol Nundee – Entertainment/KOL

Dr Jain Charnnarong – Environment/Sustainability/Community/Agriculture

Sasapin Wongkovit – Health/Food

Panipak Wongpattanakit – Sports

Yod Chinsupakul – Technology/Innovation

Sorrayuth Suthasnachinda  – Society/Equality

These 10 individuals, from 10 diverse fields, are a reflection of the new wave of leaders in various sectors.

They have risen to drive societal change from their own perspectives, using their expertise, voice, thoughts, or actions to propel society in ways they are most capable of, without being confined to any one model of leadership.