Profiles of Members of Prayut II Cabinet: on Education and social affairs portfolios

The backgrounds and qualifications of the social and education ministers are given below.:

 

Anutin Charnvirakul

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister

Born September 13, 1966, age 52

Education

Attended secondary school at Assumption College then earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Hoftra University in the US

Political career

The current leader of the Bhumjai Thai Party leader, he was public health minister and an executive of the Thai Rak Thai Party. He was banned from politics for five years after the party was dissolved in 2007.

Anutin has two children, Naiyaphak and Seranee Charnvirakul.

 

Sathit Pitutecha

Deputy Public Health Minister

Born on February 2, 1967, age 52

Education

Sathit holds a bachelor's degree in law from Ramkhamhaeng University, a master’s degree in public administration from Burapha University and a doctorate in business administration (in industrial business management) from King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok.

Political career

A four-time MP, Sathit is deputy Democrat leader in charge of central provinces.

He is married to Bee and the couple has one daughter, Cher.

 

 

Suvit Maesincee

Minister for Undergraduate Education, Research, Science and Innovation

Suvit was born on May 12, 1961.

Education:

Suvit finished secondary school from Thepsirin School. He got a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Mahidol University, a master’s in marketing from the National Institute of Development Administration and a doctorate from the North Western University in the United States.

Career

Suvit used to be a lecturer at the marketing department of the Sasin School of Management of Chulalongkorn University.

He was an adviser to deputy prime minister (Somkid Jatusripitak) and was an assistant to PM’s Office Minister (Somkid Jatusripitak) in the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

He was appointed a member of the National Reform Council on society quota. He served as deputy commerce minister and PM’s Office minister in the first Prayut Chan-o-cha government.

He is married to Phakathong Maesincee.

 

 

Juti Krairiksh

Social Development and Human Security Minister

Born December 14, 1956, aged 63

Education

A student of Saint Gabriel School, he holds a bachelor's degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration from a university in Queensland, Australia.

Political history

A former secretary general of the Democrat Party, he has been elected seven times as Democrat MP and is a former Information and Communication Technology minister.

He is married to Samarnjit.

 

Ittipol Khunpluem

Culture Minister

Education: Ittipol finished primary school from Assumption Si Racha School and he finished secondary school from Suan Kularb College. He got a bachelor of law degree from Chulalongkorn University and a master of law from the Golden Gate University in the US.

Political career: He is the director of the Phalang Pracharat Party. He was earlier an assistant to the PM's Office minister under the supervision of the sports minister in the first Prayut Chan-o-cha government. He used to be mayor of Pattaya City. He was elected as MP twice. From 2001 to 2008, he was a member of the Chart Thai and then Thai Rak Thai, People Power and Pheu Thai parties.

Born on December 15, 1973, Ittipol is the fourth son of Somchai Khunpluem and Satil Khunpluem.He is married to Ratchad Chatikavanij.

 

 

Tewan Liptapanlop

PM's Office Minister

Born December 29, 1959, age 59

Education

Hold a bachelor's degree in law from Chulalongkorn University.

Political career

The leader of Chart Pattana Party, Tewan has been elected as an MP three times. A former executive of the Thai Rak Thai, he was banned from politics for five years after the party was dissolved in 2007.

He is a younger brother of Suwat Liptapanlop and has a son, Tharon.

 

 

MR Chatu Mongol Sonakul

Labour Minister

Born September 28, 1943, age 75

Education

A student of Bangkok Christian College and Harrow School, he holds bachelor's degrees in engineering and economics from Cambridge University and a master’s degree in business administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Political career

MR Chatu started government service as an official with the Fiscal Policy Office and went on to become director general of the Comptroller General's Department, director general of the Excise Department, director general of the Revenue Department and permanent secretary for Finance Ministry.

He was elected as a senator in 1996 and named governor of the Bank of Thailand in May 1998. He was named leader of the Action Coalition of Thailand Party on August 5, 2018.

He is married to with Bulwipha Sonakul na Ayutthaya with whom he has two children, ML Orn and Api Mongol Sonakul, the latter a former Bangkok MP with the Democrat Party. He also has one son, ML Ming, by his first wife Ratchanee Kachasenee.

 

Nataphol Teepsuwan

Education Minister

Nataphol, 53, was born on May 29, 1966 in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.

Education: Nataphol got a master’s degree in marketing from Thammasat University.

Political career: He was director of the Democrat Party in 2007.

On January 11, 2009, Nataphol was elected MP from Bangkok’s Constituency 10 as Democrat candidate.

Nataphol resigned as Democrat MP and party member and from 2013 to 2014, became a leading member of the People's Democratic Reform Committee to lead protests against the government of Yingluck Shinawatra.

In 2018, he became a deputy leader of Phalang Pracharat Party.

On March 24, 2019, he was elected a party-list MP of the Phalang Pracharat.

Known by his nickname “Tun”, he is married to Thaya Teepsuwan, the owner of Srivikorn School and a furniture and interior design business.

 

Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich

Deputy Education Minister

Education: Kalaya got a bachelor's degree in science (with honours) from Chulalongkorn University. She got a Colombo scholarship to study for a master’s degree. She later got a scholarship to do a doctorate in nuclear physics from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London. She earned a doctorate in high energy nuclear physics.

Political career: Kalaya is a deputy leader of the Democrat Party. She was science minister in the Democrat-led Abhisit Vejjajiva government from 2008-10. She is now a party-list MP of the Democrat Party.

Born on September 21, 1940, she is married to Chote Sophonpanich, the fourth son of Shin Sophonpanich, the founder of Bangkok Bank. They have four children -- Chotiya Sophonpanich, Chalit Sophonpanich, Suphana Sophonpanich and Kitiya Sophonpanich.

 

Kanokwan Wilawal

Deputy Education Minister

Education: Kanokwan got a bachelor of law degree from Ramkhamhaeng University and followed with a master of arts degree from Ramkhamhaeng University. She earned an honorary doctorate in philosophy from Krirk University.

Political career: Kanokwan is deputy secretary-general of Bhumjaithai Party. She used to be deputy chief of the Prachin Buri Administrative Organisation. She has been elected as MP twice.

Born on June 27, 1966, she is married to Pakorn Srichanngam. They have three children -- Pawan Srichanngam, Pawawara Srichanngam and Parinthorn Srichanngam.

 

Buddhipongse Punnakanta

Digital Economy and Society Minister

Buddhipongse, 50, was born on November 20, 1968.

Education: Puttipong got a bachelor in economics degree from Ohio State University in the United States in 1992.

Political career: He returned to Thailand to work as an assistant manager of the Ratchathani Group's real estate project and later became an official of the Office of the Board of Investment under the PM's Office.

In 2002, Buddhipongse became a Democrat MP from Bangkok's Constituency 4.

From 2004 to 2008, he served as spokesman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (when Apirak Kosayothin was BMA governor).

In 2010, Buddhipongse was an assistant to the industry minister and deputy government spokesman for the Abhisit Vejjajiva Democrat-led government.

In 2011, Buddhipongse became a Democrat MP from Bangkok's Constituency 7 (Huai Kwang district).

From 2013 to 2014, he resigned as Democrat MP and party member to become a leading member of the People's Democratic Reform Committee to lead protests against the government of prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

From October 26, 2018 to February 5, 2019, he was the government spokesman of the first Prayut Chan-o-cha government.

On March 24, 2019, he became a party-list MP of the Phalang Pracharat Party.

Also known by his nickname “B”, Buddhipongse is married to Nussaba Wanit-angkoon, a popular entertainer. They have two children -- Puna and Kanta. He is the elder brother of actor and politician Danuporn Punnakanta.