Piyabutr Saengkanokkul
Piyabutr Saengkanokkul (Thai: ปิยบุตร แสงกนกกุล, RTGS: Piyabut Saengkanokkun, Thai pronunciation: [pìyábùt sɛ̌ːŋkànòkkūn], born 23 October 1979[1]) is a Thai academic and politician. He served as a member of the Thai House of Representatives and was the first and only Secretary-General for the Future Forward Party, which he co-founded in 2018. Prior to his political career, Piyabut was an associate professor at the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University.[2] He has worked as a constitutional law professor for more than 16 years.
Piyabutr Saengkanokkul | |
---|---|
ปิยบุตร แสงกนกกุล | |
Member of Thai House of Representatives | |
In office 24 March 2019 – 21 February 2020 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 23 October 1979 41) Bangkok, Thailand | (age
Nationality | Thai |
Political party | Future Forward Party |
Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) |
Spouse(s) | Eugénie Mérieau |
Alma mater | Thammasat University University of Nantes Toulouse University (Ph.D.) |
Occupation | Politician Academic Associate Professor |
Net worth | 7.7 million baht (2019) |
Signature | |
Website | Future Forward Party |
Early life and academic career
Piyabutr was born on 23 October 1979 into a middle-class Thai Chinese family, the third of four children. Piyabutr graduated secondary school at Assumption College and studied for his bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, graduating with second class honors. He received a scholarship from the French government to study for his master's and doctoral degrees. Piyabutr graduated with a master's degree in public law and environmental law from the University of Nantes and a PhD with Très honorable avec félicitations honours from the University of Toulouse.[3]
Piyabutr became an assistant professor at the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University. He was also a member of Nitirat, a group of Thammasat law professors who campaigned for various ideas considered radical in Thai politics, such as amending the country's lèse majesté laws.[4]
Political career
Piyabutr resigned from his academic career at Thammasat University to create, with Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the Future Forward Party, with an aim towards promoting democracy in Thailand and opposing the military junta.[4] During the party's first meeting, he was elected secretary-general.[5] In the 2019 Thai general election, Piyabutr was second on the Future Forward's list of party-list candidates and became a member of the lower house as Future Forward were allocated fifty party-list seats.[6]
In his mandatory disclosure of assets to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Piyabutr reported assets of 7.7 million baht.[7]
Personal life
Piyabutr is married to Eugénie Mérieau, a French academic.[8]
References
- "Piyabutr Saengkanokkul". Future Forward Party. Archived from the original on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
- "Piyabutr Saengkanokkul: The political crisis and young people". Prachatai English. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
- Dumrongkwan, Kwanchai (8 May 2019). "ฉากชีวิตขนาดยาวกับความฝันนอกหมวกนักวิชาการ ของ 'ปิยบุตร แสงกนกกุล'". The Matter. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
- "Nitirat academic, tycoon to form political party". Bangkok Post. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
- Audjarint, Wasamon (28 May 2018). "Newly elected Future Forward leader Thanathorn vows to dump 2017 charter". The Nation. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
- Party-list election results. Royal Gazette. 8 May 2019. (in Thai)
- "Thanathorn richest MP with B5.6bn". Bangkok Post. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- Admirers hope Piyabutr is not 'too fast to live' kind