Profiles of Members of Prayut II Cabinet, on economic affairs

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

 

Somkid Jatusripitak

Deputy Prime Minister

Born July 15, 1953, age 66

Education

Attended Triam Udomsuksa School before earning his bachelor’s degree in banking and international economics from Thammasat University. He holds a master’s degree in business administration in finance from the National Institute of Development Administration and a doctorate degree in business administration in marketing management from the North Western University, the US.

Political career

Adviser to the foreign minister and adviser to a deputy prime minister under the Thaksin Shinawatra government, he held the post of finance minister four times, deputy prime minister three times, and also served as commerce minister during the tenure of Thaksin Shinanwatra. After the 2014 coup, Somkid became a deputy prime minister in the first Prayut Chan-o-cha government.

He is married to Anuratchanee and the couple has three children: Naphat, who is married to Wanisara Boonyaleephan, Napol and Nachat.

 

Jurin Laksanawisit
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister
Born March 15, 1956, age 63
Education
Jurin attended primary school at the Siriraj Witthaya School in Phang Nga and secondary school at Suan Kularb College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, public administration, from Thammasat University and holds a master’s degree in public administration in public policies and planning from the National Institute of Development Administration.
Political career
The eighth leader of the Democrat Party, he has been elected as an MP 11 times. He has served as public health minister, deputy commerce minister, deputy agriculture minister and PM’s Office minister.
He is married to Or-anong and the couple has two children, Praewprae and Ornjarin. 

 

Weerasak Wongsuphakijkoson

Deputy Commerce Minister

Education

Born on November 20, 1955, Weerasak finished primary school from Ban Tha Toom School in Sri Mahaphote district in Prachin Buri province. He finished secondary school from the non-formal education centre in Khon Buri district in Nakhon Ratchasima province. He got a bachelor's degree in arts (political science) from Ramkhamhaeng University.

Political career:

Weerasak is a Bhumjaithai party-list MP and a Bhumjaithai executive. He was a businessman before entering politics.

He is married to Yonlada Wongsuphakijkoson. They have three children -- Sudawan Wongsuphakijkoson, Rirkhirun Wongsuphakijkoson, and Wiriya Wongsuphakijkoson.

Uttama Savanayana
Finance Minister
Born May 19, 1960, age 59 
Education
Holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Brown University in the US, an MBA in 
finance and international businesses from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and a doctorate degree in finance from the School of Management, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Political career
A former rector of Bangkok University, he served as an adviser to finance minister Somkid Jatusripitak and an assistant to PM’s Office minister in 2015. He was also information and communication technology minister in the first Prayut Chan-o-cha government but resigned on September 12, 2016 to allow the digital economy and society minister to head the new ministry. Following his resignation, he was appointed as an advisor to the prime minister and became the industry minister in December 2016 in the first Prayut government.
He is the current leader of the Phalang Pracharat Party leader.
He is married to Ichaya.

Santi Phromphat
Deputy Finance Minister

Education: 
Santi got a bachelor’s degree in arts followed by a master’s (in political science) from Ramkhamhaeng University. 
Political career: Santi is a Phalang Pracharat party-list MP. He was earlier a PM's Office minister, and the social development and human security minister. He used to be a Pheu Thai party-list MP. He was transport minister in the Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat governments.
Born on January 1, 1952, he is married to Wanphen Phromphat. They have two children.

Chalermchai Sri-on
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister
Born March 7, 1965 age 54 
Completed secondary education at Prommanusorn School in Phetchaburi then earned a bachelor's degree in law from Thammasat University's Faculty of Law and a master degree’s in arts in policies and planning from Krirk University.
Political career
Elected as an MP on four occasions and a former labour minister, Chalermchai is the secretary general of the Democrat Party. 
He is married to Thanyawee and the couple has one son, Sorawit.

 

Thammanas Phromphao

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister

Education

A former student of Class 25 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School, he moved into Class 36 of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, where he studied with Gen Romklao Thuwatham and Lt Col Himalai Phiewphan.

Political career

In charge of the election strategy in Bangkok for the Thai Rak Thai in1999, he resigned from government service that same year to open a security operation, Thammanas Guards, which became the first private security firm contracted to keep security at Suvarnabhumi Airport. He also owns a bus business, a real estate firm, and a marketing firm and his company, Kwan Ruedee Ltd Part, is one of five major distributors of government lottery tickets.

In 2014, he contested the general election as a Pheu Thai party-list candidate but the election was later annulled. In 2018, he joined the Phalang Pracharat and became the chair of the election strategy committee for the northern provinces. He was elected Phalang Pracharat MP for Phayao on March 24, 2019.

Mananya Thaiset

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister

Born August 1962, age 56

Education

Holds a bachelor’s degree in the arts from Rajabhat Suan Dusit University.

Political career

Three times mayor of Muang Uthai Thani Municipality from 2008 to 2019.

The younger sister of Uthai Than MP Chada Thaiset, she has one son, Jeseth.

 

Praphat Phothasuthon

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister

Born August 1, 1949, age 69

Education

After completing his secondary education at Amnuay Silp Phra Nakhon School, Phaphat went to India where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics before returning to study for a master’s degree in political science at Thammasat University.

Political career

A long-time politician with 12 tenures as MP to his credit, Praphat has served as agriculture minister, deputy interior minister and as deputy finance minister on two occasions. He is currently the secretary general of the Chart Thai Pattana Party.

 

 

Suriya Juangroongruangkit

Industry Minister

Suriya, 65, was born on December 10, 1954. 
Education
He got his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States.
Political career
In 1998, Suriya became a deputy industry minister in the Chuan Leekpai government.
In 2001, Suriya became the secretary-general of the Thai Rak Thai Party.
From 2001 to 2002, he served as industry minister of the Thaksin I government when he was the 12th party-list MP of the Thai Rak Thai.
From October 3, 2002 to August 2, 2005, Somsak was transport minister in the Thaksin II government.
In 2018, Suriya became a leader of the Three Friends group which recruited former MPs to work with the Phalang Pracharat.
On March 24, 2019, Suriya became a Phalang Pracharat party-list MP.

He is married to Surisa Juangroongruangkit. They have a son, Satanan Juangroongruangkit. Suriya is an uncle of Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.

 

 

 

Sontirat Sontijirawong

Energy Minister

Sontirat was born on March 19, 1960

Education:

He got a bachelor's degree in materials science and a master’s in business administration from Chulalongkorn University.

Political career:

Sontirat served as deputy commerce minister and an adviser to the industry minister.

He was a member of the National Reform Council, appointed on society quota. He was appointed an adviser to the industry minister (Anchaka Siboonruang) on October 2, 2014. He was a member of the National Reform Steering Assembly and a deputy commerce minister before becoming commerce minister in the first Prayut Chan-o-cha government.

He is currently secretary-general of the Phalang Pracharat Party.

He is married to Supaporn Sontijirawong.

 

 

Saksayam Chidchob

Transport Minister

Born November 9, 1962, age 56

Education

Completed secondary school at Suan Kularb College and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the National Institute of Development of Administration.

Political career

The former chairman of a working panel under interior minister Chaovarat Charnvirakul during the 2008 political crisis and a former executive of the Thai Rak Thai Party, he was banned from politics for five years after Thai Rak Thai was dissolved in 2007. He is currently secretary general of the Bhumjai Thai Party.

The son of politicians Chai and La-ong Chidchob and the younger brother of Newin, he is single.

 

 

Thavorn Senniam

Deputy Transport Minister

Born March 29, 1947, age 72

Education

Completed his secondary education at the Maha Vajiravudh School in Songkhla then earned a bachelor's degree in law from Thammasat University before becoming barrister of law (ranked sixth in Class 25) at the law school of the Thai Bar under the Royal Patronage. He also holds a master’s degree in public administration from the National Institute of Development Administration.

Political career

A deputy leader of the Democrat Party, he has been elected six times as a Democrat MP and is a former deputy Interior Minister.

He is married to Maj Gen Janthima Senniam and the couple has three children, Pimchan, Natkarn and Sitthinon,

 

 

Atheerat Rattanaset

Deputy Transport Minister

Education: Atheerat got a master of Arts degree from the International Business London Metropolitan University in England. He has a bachelor's degree in political science on politics and administration from Thammasat University.

Political career: He was elected Nakhon Ratchasima MP once under the Thai Rak Thai banner in 2011. He is now a Phalang Pracharat member.

Born on April 18, 1984, Atheerat is the son of Wirat Rattanaset and Thassaneeya Ratanaset. The Nakhon Ratchasima politician is currently single.

 

 

 

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn

Tourism and Sports Minister

Education:

He got a bachelor’s and master’s in political science from Ramkhamhaeng University's Faculty of Political Science.

Political career:

He was a Bhumjaithai party-list MP.

He was a businessman before entering politics.

Phiphat is married to Nathee Ratchakitprakarn.