Suriyasai Katasila ( th, สุริยะใส กตะศิลา) is a Thai political scientist, activist and former politician, who is currently the dean of the College of Social Innovation and director of the Thailand Reform Institute AT

Rangsit University Rangsit University ( Thai: มหาวิทยาลัยรังสิต) (RSU) is a private university in Pathum Thani, Thailand, focusing mainly on music, design, Information technology, and public health including independent professions ...

. Katasila was born in Rasi Salai district, Sisaket province, in

Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provin ...

. He developed an interest in politics since a very young age, recalling the

1981 Thai military rebellion The 1981 Thai military rebellion was a military coup attempt to consolidate power by the government of Prem Tinsulanonda, staged by Thai military leaders of Class 7 on 1 April 1981, but a counter-coup by Prem, Arthit Kamlang-ek, and support by ...

. While a student at

Kasetsart University Kasetsart University ( th, มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์; ), commonly known and referred to as Kaset or KU, is a public research university in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the largest university in Thailand. I ...

, he had participated in Black May, a mass protest where people gathered to oust the junta government led by

Suchinda Kraprayoon Suchinda Kraprayoon ( th, สุจินดา คราประยูร, ; born 6 August 1933) is a Thai retired army general and politician. As the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (1990–1992) he led the 1991 Thai coup d'état ...

in 1992. During that time, he was also the secretary-general of Student Union of Thailand (SUT). In contemporary political history, Katasila is best known for being the coordinator of the

People's Alliance for Democracy The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD; th, พันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย, Phanthamit Prachachon Pheu Prachathipatai; commonly known as "Yellow Shirts") is a Thai reactionary, m ...

(PAD), or familiarly known as Yellow Shirts. Political groups that played a key role in the ousting of the

Thaksin Shinawatra Thaksin Shinawatra ( th, ทักษิณ ชินวัตร; ; ; Chinese: 丘達新; cnr, Taksin Šinavatra; born 26 July 1949), is a Thai businessman, politician and visiting professor. He served in the Thai Police from 1973 to 1987, a ...

government in 2006 and the

Samak Sundaravej Samak Sundaravej ( th, สมัคร สุนทรเวช, , ; 13 June 1935 – 24 November 2009) was a Thai politician who briefly served as the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defense in 2008, as well as the leader of the Peo ...

with

Somchai Wongsawat Somchai Wongsawat ( th, สมชาย วงศ์สวัสดิ์, ; born 31 August 1947) is a Thai politician who was the prime minister of Thailand in 2008 and a former executive member of the People's Power Party (Thailand), People ...

governments in 2008. He was the secretary-general of a New Politics Party founded by the PAD leaders in 2009. In February 2019, shortly before that years'

general election A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...

. He was one of the co-founders and a candidate in the seventh list of MPs for the Action Coalition for Thailand Party, a political party founded by the leaders of the

People's Democratic Reform Committee The People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) or People's Committee for Absolute Democracy with the King as Head of State (PCAD) was a reactionary umbrella political pressure group in Thailand. Its aim was to remove the influence of former pre ...

(PDRC). He was stripped of his political rights for 10 years and sentenced to 87 days in prison for a political rally by the PAD in 2008.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Katasila, Suriyasai 1972 births Living people Suriyasai Katasila Suriyasai Katasila Suriyasai Katasila Suriyasai Katasila Suriyasai Katasila Suriyasai Katasila Suriyasai Katasila Suriyasai Katasila Suriyasai Katasila