Pita Limjaroenrat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pita Limjaroenrat
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พิธา ลิ้มเจริญรัตน์
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Pita in 2023
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| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 24 March 2019 |
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| Constituency | Party-list |
| Advisory Chairman of Move Forward Party | |
| Assumed office 23 September 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Leader of the Move Forward Party | |
| In office 14 March 2020 – 23 September 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (as Leader of the Future Forward Party) |
| Succeeded by | Chaithawat Tulathon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 September 1980 Bangkok, Thailand |
| Political party | Move Forward (since 2020) |
| Other political affiliations |
Future Forward (2018–2020) |
| Spouse |
Chutima Teepanart
(m. 2012; div. 2019) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | |
| Nickname | Tim (ทิม) |
Pita Limjaroenrat (Thai: พิธา ลิ้มเจริญรัตน์, RTGS: Phitha Limcharoenrat, pronounced [pʰí(ʔ).tʰāː lím.tɕā.rɤ̄ːn.rát]; born 5 September 1980), nicknamed Tim (Thai: ทิม), is a Thai businessman and politician. A member of the House of Representatives, he previously served as Leader of the Move Forward Party, the de facto successor to the dissolved Future Forward Party, from 2020 to 2023.
Educated in New Zealand, Pita studied finance in Thailand. He further studied politics and business in the United States, having received various scholarships. Upon his return to Thailand in 2005, he took over his family’s rice bran oil company and helped it gain its foothold. After obtaining a master’s degree in the US, he continued his work in business. In 2019, Pita was approached by the pro-democracy Future Forward Party to be a party-list candidate for the 2019 general elections. He accepted and ultimately won a seat in the House of Representatives. Upon the dissolution of Future Forward in 2020, Pita was selected to lead the newly formed Move Forward Party.
Pita led Move Forward to become the largest party in the 2023 general election, winning 151 seats. Forming a coalition with fellow pro-democracy parties, he announced plans to be elected prime minister of Thailand. In the first round of parliamentary voting on 13 July 2023, he was not elected by the National Assembly, as he lacked the votes from the Senate. Later, on 19 July, he was suspended as an MP by the Constitutional Court over shares in the defunct broadcaster ITV. Pita's second nomination on the same day was blocked by the National Assembly. Move Forward ultimately joined the opposition following a dispute with their initial coalition partner, Pheu Thai. Pita resigned as leader of Move Forward in September 2023. He was succeeded by Chaithawat Tulathon, but continues to be active in the party. On 24 January, the Constitutional Court cleared him of wrongdoing, securing his status as a Member of the House of Representatives.
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Early life and education
Pita was born on 5 September 1980, the eldest son of Pongsak Limjaroenrat, a former adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, and Linda Limjaroenrat. He is the nephew of Padung Limjaroenrat, a former secretary to the Interior Minister and a close aide of then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Pita attended the Bangkok Christian College before being sent to Hamilton, New Zealand, by his father at the age of 11. There he lived with a middle-class host family, doing part-time jobs such as delivering newspapers and milk to earn money. His interest in politics developed while watching the limited amount of television channels in Hamilton, which were either Australian soap operas or parliamentary debates. Due to his dislike of Australian soap operas, he began to listen to speeches given by then-Prime Minister of New Zealand Jim Bolger.
After graduating from secondary school in New Zealand, Pita went back to Thailand and pursued a bachelor's degree in finance from the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy in Thammasat University where he graduated in 2002 with first-class honors and got a scholarship to study at the University of Texas at Austin. While in Austin, Pita observed the 2000 U.S. presidential election, which he says impacted his views on politics. He later received an international student scholarship from Harvard University, becoming the first Thai student to do so. Pita has said his time at Harvard influenced his politics and the policies he would go on to pursue.
While serving as a member of a panel under economic advisor Somkid Jatusripitak, Pita joined then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in New York City for a meeting of the UN General Assembly in September 2006. Thaksin never made his speech, as a coup would be declared by the military back in Thailand on 19 September, forcing him to leave for London. Thaksin had written Pita's Harvard recommendation letter. Upon his return to Thailand after the coup, Pita missed part of his father's funeral after being temporarily detained. He later completed a joint Master in Public Administration degree in the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University and a Master of Business Administration degree in the Sloan School of Management of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2011.
Business career
At the age of 25, Pita returned to Thailand to take over as managing director of CEO Agrifood, a rice bran oil business run by his family, after the death of his father. The company had been laden with debt, but was able to regain its foothold two years after and allowed Pita to return to the United States where he finished his master's degree in 2011.
He also served as the executive director of Grab Thailand from 2017 to 2018.
Political career
Member of the House of Representatives
Pita aspired to become a politician since he was in his 20s. He became a member of the Future Forward Party (Thai: พรรคอนาคตใหม่, RTGS: Phak Anakhot Mai) following an invitation from the party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. He ran as a candidate in the 2019 general election and was elected as the fourth party-list representative for his party in the House of Representatives.
In July 2019, Pita gave a speech in the House of Representatives about the "Five-Button Theory." ..... His speech, notable for transcending party lines, received commendation from Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda.
Following the dissolution of the Future Forward Party by the Constitutional Court on 21 February 2020, Pita was chosen as the leader of the newly established Move Forward Party (Thai: พรรคก้าวไกล, RTGS: Phak Kao Klai). He, along with 54 former members of parliament from the disbanded party, joined this new party. Pita's formal election as the leader of the Move Forward Party occurred on 14 March 2020. He would later describe himself as the “designated survivor” to lead the new party. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pita criticised the government for a “systematic failure of the entire vaccine value chain” starting from the initial vaccine procurement strategy. In October 2021, he confirmed he would be the party's nominee for Prime Minister after the next general election.
2023 general election
Pita, leading the Move Forward Party, achieved a notable victory in the 2023 general election, securing the majority of seats (151). Pita's goal was to win 160 out of the 400 constitunecy seats. This outcome was unexpected for many, as the Pheu Thai party was widely anticipated to be the frontrunner. Following this victory, on 15 May 2023, Pita expressed his readiness to assume the role of prime minister. He reached out to the Pheu Thai Party and several smaller parties, proposing the formation of a coalition government.
On 22 May, Pita and his coalition partners held a press conference, where they focused on key issues such as drafting a new constitution through the Constituent Assembly, implementing military reforms, introducing voluntary conscription, legalizing same-sex marriage, and decentralizing the economy. Pita also mentioned that his campaign strategies were inspired by Barack Obama's 2008 US presidential campaign.
However, despite the coalition's majority in the House, Pita needed the support of both elected MPs and unelected senators, who were appointed by the previous military junta, to be officially elected as Prime Minister.
On 9 June, the Election Commission (EC) dismissed three complaints against Pita concerning his ownership of iTV, a television broadcaster and a unit of Shin Corporation, previously owned by Thaksin Shinawatra, a former Thai Prime Minister now in exile. The constitution prohibits shareholders of media organizations from participating in general elections. Instead of pursuing these complaints, the EC initiated a criminal investigation to determine if Pita knowingly violated election eligibility rules, specifically sections of the organic law on the election of MPs.
Pita stated that he inherited the iTV shares from his father's estate. iTV had ceased broadcasting in 2007 and was removed from the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2014. According to Pita, the company hadn't produced significant media-related income for years, except for minor earnings from a subsidiary involved in broadcasting equipment rental. Despite the ongoing investigation by the EC, Pita was among the 500 MPs officially endorsed by the EC on 19 June. On 27 June, he announced having sufficient support from the military-appointed Senate to secure the position of Prime Minister.
Attempts to form a government
Following the general election and subsequent coalition announcement, the House of Representatives held its first session on 5 July to select a Speaker, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, founder of the coalition-member party, the Prachachat Party. In the days preceding the premiership vote, Pita and the MFP party held rallies with supporters in Bangkok. Pita appealed to the assembly to support his government, in accordance with the mandate granted by the people in the general election.
On 12 July, the Constitutional Court said it had accepted a complaint against Pita and the Move Forward Party by the Election Commission, that said its plan to reform lèse-majesté laws amounted to an attempt to "overthrow the democratic regime of government with the king as a head of state". The Commission referred Pita for disqualification as an MP; Pita called the process unfair, and said he wasn't allowed to defend himself before the decision. The day before the parliamentary vote, Pita warned assembly members that there would be a "high price" if his premiership was denied.
On 13 July the National Assembly convened to elect a new Prime Minister. Initially nominated by Pheu Thai leader Dr. Chonlanan Srikaew, Pita was the only member of the assembly to be put forward. Despite securing a majority-coalition in the lower house, Pita was unable to win enough votes from the assembly in the first ballot, particularly the 250 members of the Senate, appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order in May 2019, to become the country's next prime minister. 324 members of the National Assembly voted to approve Pita's premiership (311 of which were MPs and 13 of which were junta-appointed senators), 182 disapproved and 199 abstained. Of the 705 votes, Pita fell 51 votes short of a majority, as he required 375 votes in order to be appointed Prime Minister. Subsequent protests occurred in the evening following the vote; the voting system was criticized for being undemocratic, and contradictory to the mandate given by the people. The failure of the National Assembly to produce a Prime Minister led to Thai stocks underperforming. The newspaper Khaosod described the vote as a 'trap set in advance.' Despite this, Pita said he would still pursue the role of prime minister, and would not back down on his promise to reform the lèse-majesté law.
Protests continued, with many demanding that the senators resign. On July 15, Pita announced his coalition had agreed to put his name forward for the next round of voting, but also said he was ready to allow a member of the Pheu Thai party to be nominated if his second bid were to be unsuccessful, or if he would be unable to gain significantly more votes than the previous ballot. On 19 July the National Assembly convened to elect a new Prime Minister for a second time following the general election. On the same day, the Constitutional Court unamimously voted to accept a case against Pita regarding his inherited shares of the defunct iTV. They also voted 7–2 to suspend him from MP duty until it reached a ruling, but it not preclude him from being nominated for prime minister. During the assembly proceedings, Pita announced he would acknowledge the decision, and left the chamber. In the subsequent debate, the National Assembly voted against considering him for another round of voting for Prime Minister. Pita was nominated by Pheu Thai MP Suthin Klangsaeng, but the proposal was argued to have been against a parliamentary rule prohibiting a repeat motion. In the voting for his renomination, 312 voters supported, 394 rejected—most of which were senators—eight abstained and one (Pita) did not vote.
Brief suspension and resignation
In accordance with the vote in the assembly, Pita could not stand for Prime Minister until a new session after the next general election. Despite being the largest party in the opposition Pita stated he did not have intentions to assume the role as leader of the opposition. Pita’s reasoning was that he intended to become prime minister and that the PM position was simply a role to expand Thai democracy. Pita remained under suspension as an MP, but initially signaled his support for a Pheu Thai party PM candidate. On 2 August 2023, Move Forward and Pheu Thai split, as Pheu Thai pulled out of the original coalition to form one of their own. The Pheu Thai party pulled back on their election pledge to not join with pro-junta parties, and the Move Forward party refused to rescind their own election pledge to reform the Lèse-majesté law.On 22 August, Pheu Thai candidate Srettha Thavisin won the 2nd prime ministership election in the National Assembly of Thailand. All present (149) MFP members voted against Thavisin's bid for Prime Minister. Following Srettha's election as prime minister, Pita gave him a congratulatory phone call.
On 20 August 2023, Pita began campaigning for the Move Forward party in the run-up to the by-election in Constituency 3 of Rayong Province, which was contested by the Move Forward, Democrat and Nation Building Labour party, following the resignation of the Move Forward MP elected there. MFP's candidate, Pongsathorn Sornpetnarin, won the election on 10 September.
On 15 September 2023, Pita announced his resignation as Leader of the Move Forward Party. He cited his inability to perform duties in the House, pending a ruling regarding his suspension status as an MP in the Constitutional Court, hindering his ability to become the Leader of the Opposition. In his announcement, Pita stressed the importance of the position of Leader of the Opposition, and said it must provide "checks and balance" to the government. He reiterated he would remain active in Thai politics and the party, regardless of his role. Pita said that Move Forward would select a new leader to replace him on 23 September, who would lead the party and the opposition in the House of Representatives. He was replaced by Secretary-General Chaithawat Tulathon as party leader. Chaithawat said his leadership was part of "temporary restructure", and said he would be "willing to step down once Pita resumes the position as an MP in the parliament again".
During his suspension, Pita criticized the system of government in Thailand, considering his inability to become Prime Minister un-democratic. Pita embarked on a visit to the United States in October 2023 to discuss the political situation in Thailand. He spoke at various universities, and met with government officials from Australia, New Zealand, and the US. Most notably, he returned to the Harvard Kennedy School, and spoke with students interested in politics about his experience. He cited his work at Harvard partially for his ability to win the election, but criticized the political establishment for blocking him from power. He also received an honorary master's degree and lectured about Thailand and ASEAN at the Harvard Asia Center. He also spoke at MIT. Earlier he met with the Thai diaspora and was honored at the TIME 100 Next gala in New York City. Pita criticized the Srettha government's digital wallet scheme, calling it “old fashioned”. On Srettha’s premiership, Pita argued his administration should be given more time to prove its ability to lead, while also recommending adjustments in policy.
Return to Parliament
By December, a date was set for 24 January for the verdict in Pita’s iTV case. The Constitutional Court extended the original deadline for the case, with Pita permitted to prepare his defense by 12 December, and the hearings beginning by 20 December. He was accused by the Election Commission of holding stocks in a media company and therefore violating Thailand’s election laws; the argument being that Pita knowingly applied to run for office in 2019 and 2023 while holding stake in a media company. The defunct 42,000 iTV media shares in questions were inherited from his father after he died, and the company had been defunct since before the election in 2007. The shares had since been transferred to his relatives. Pita welcomed the opportunity to present evidence to the court, and said he was not worried. After preparing a statement on 15 December, he arrived at the Constitutional Court to answer questions and deliver his final testimony relating to the case on 20 December, and expressed confidence in the justice system, believing he “will receive justice”. That same day, the court announced it would deliver its verdict at 2:00 PM on 24 January 2024. On the day of the verdict, the court was surrounded by Pita and MFP supporters, warranting increased security. Pita arrived at the court at 12:45 PM on 24 January, along with Chaithawat. After more than 30 minutes of reading the verdict, the Constitutional Court cleared Pita of any wrongdoing, allowing him to return to Parliament. While addressing the press outside the court, Pita said he hoped to return to the legislature “as soon as possible”. Upon being reinstated as an MP, Pita set to work in his capacities in the party and in the House, officially returning to the Parliament the next day on 25 January, notably wearing the same tie he wore on the day of his suspension. He outlined Move Forward’s six goals for the country the following day, which included a proposed amnesty bill for criminal cases that were political in nature. Pita announced a total of 47 draft bills set to be introduced into the legislature, which included policies for military reforms, quality of life, and rural development. He also dismissed allegations that the party was not doing enough to scrutinize the government. During his policy outline, Pita did not mention reforming the lèse-majesté law, which drew criticism from former Future Forward party officials. Shortly after his suspension was lifted, Pita met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, during his visit to Thailand in January 2024. Steinmeier commended the decision of the Court to clear Pita, saying it was a sign of democratic progress in the country. In March 2024, Pita represented Thailand at the Inter-Parliamentary Union summit and joined the International Parliamentary Network for Education. He addressed issues such as climate change and the importance of inclusivity in societies.
On 5 February, in another separate case, Pita and seven other progressive politicians were given four-month suspended prison sentences from the Pathum Wan Municipal District Court in Bangkok, over an unlawful rally that was held in December 2019. Although their sentence was surpsned fro the next two years, he was ordered to pay a 11,200 baht fine. He appealed the verdict. If the appeal fails, it has the potential to disqualify him from the Parliament.
In late December, Chaithawat Tulathon said he would be ready to resign as party leader were Pita to be acquitted, believing most party members would support Pita for the position at the party’s upcoming general meeting in April 2024. When asked if he will return to party leadership, Pita stated it would be decided at the April meeting. After his reinstatement, he stated he was “ready, willing, and able” to lead the country as the next prime minister, if the political situation demanded it. In January, Chaithawat confirmed the party meeting would take place in late April. Although a general meeting of the party did occur on 6 April, no leadership election was held, and Chaithawat remained as opposition leader. The party continued to insist that Pita’s candidacy as a nominee for prime minister remained intact. In February 2024 MFP spokesperson Parit Wacharasindhu stated Pita was still eligible for the position if he were to be acquitted on any charges he was currently facing. In May 2024, Chaithwat said the party would be ready to re-nominate Pita for the role of Prime Minister were Srettha Thavisin to be removed in a “political accident.”
Simultaneously, Pita and the entire Move Forward Party were involved in another court case, in which they were accused via a petition of attempting to overthrow the monarchy of Thailand. The Constitutional Court considered a petition which argued that the party’s attempt to reform the lese-majeste law amounted to an attempt to overthrow the monarchy. If found guilty, the party may be dissolved, although in late December, when summoned to the court, Pita rejected that possibility. Additionally, MFP leader Chaithawat Tulathon believed that their proposal to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code was not a breach of the law or Section 49 of the Constitution. The original petitioner stated he was attempting to block a “violation” of the royal institution, and was not intending for his case to dissolve the Move Forward party. In the days preceding the ruling, Pita reiterated the policy’s legality. By December, both Pita and Chaithawat were interviewed in preparation for the court’s decision. The judges met at 9:30 AM on 31 January to confer their individual decisions. Move Forward was not physically present at the court for the verdict, opting to watch from a conference room at the Parliament building; Pita and Chaithawat arrived at around 1:50 PM, and were once again swarmed by reporters. The court began reading the verdict at 2:14 PM. After 43 minutes, the court ruled that Move Forward’s campaign promise to amend the lèse majesté was unlawful and tantamount to attempting to overthrow the monarchy, and ordered the party to cease related activities. All 9 justices ruled unanimously. The ruling effectively ended any national attempts to amend lèse majesté. The verdict makes it possible for the Election Commission to ask for the party’s dissolution, which could also lead to Pita and other party executives being banned from politics for up to 10 years. Pita believed the case damaged free speech and the health of Thai democracy, while Chaithawat stated the ruling changed the definition of a constitutional monarchy. CNA described the ruling as a “gag order”, and reported that some Move Forward MPs believed it would just be a matter of time before a petition would be filed to dissolve the party. Immediately after the verdict, the party was hit with numerous complaints seeking its dissolution under Article 92 of the Thai Constitution. On 1 February, Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, who was a former Palang Pracharath party senator, filed a petition to the EC to dissolve the party. Ruangkrai had twice before petitioned the EC to dissolve the party and had filed the complaint against Pita for his iTV shares. In a February interview, he vowed to ‘fight tooth and nail’ for the party’s survival. The Election Commission officially asked the Constitutional Court to disband the party on 12 March. The petition was accepted by the Constitutional Court on 3 April 2024. Human Rights Watch described the case as a “political battering ram.” The party was granted various extentions to prepare their defense throughout the Spring, with arguments not expected to take place until 2 June. Despite being under the threat of dissolution, Pita and the party enjoyed high popularity ratings among the public.
Political positions
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Pita has been described as a progressive by the standards of Thai politics. His Move Forward Party, which he has led since 2020, has been referred to as center-left, reformist, pro-democractic, and progressive.
Pita has frequently referred to the years between 2014 and 2023 as "the lost decade" of Thailand, in regards to both economics and democratic backsliding. Pita believes the Thai armed services have too much influence in civilian politics, and has vowed to decrease their influence. Pita also said that Thailand must "demilitarize". Pita has promised that his party would amend the controversial Royal defamation law, which protects the Thai monarchy from public criticism. He has maintained that the Thai royal family should be above politics as "a vital institution of national unity." On economic policy, Pita believes in the demonopolization, and decentralization of the economy. Pita thinks aspects of a welfare state are needed in Thailand. He has said he would liberalize Thailand's liquor industry.
Pita supports the legalization of same-sex marriage and has attended a pride parade in Bangkok. Pita also believes in voluntary conscription for military service.
Pita has centered his foreign policy on his "3Rs", 'Revive, Rebalance, and Recalibrate'. He also stated that Thailand should be more assertive on the global stage and open more dialogue with greater powers, and that democratic values should be the core of Thailand's foreign policy. Pita believes in “rules based world order” when approaching diplomacy, and said the 2014 coup may have isolated Thailand's Western allies, such as the United States. Celebrating the 190 anniversary of American-Thai relations, Pita stated he “trusts the US - Thai alliance.” Pita has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine calling the Thai government's response "two-faced". Pita celebrated Taiwan's National Day at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in October 2023, despite the lack of government representatives.
In an interview with CNA, Pita said he was inspired by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, and has compared politics to a marathon rather than a sprint, saying "I have the stamina to run for a long time." He has also cited U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders as another one of his political role models and owns a copy of the Senator's book "It's OK To Be Angry About Capitalism." He also included Uruguayan President José Mujica as one of his political inspirations.
Personal life
Pita married actress Chutima Teepanart on 12 December 2012. The couple divorced in March 2019. Chutima publicly alleged that Pita had been controlling and abusing her during their marriage. Women's rights and pro-democracy activists called for Pita to respond to the allegations. Chutima filed a lawsuit against Pita alleging bodily abuse, but it was dismissed as false by the family court. Afterwards, she said, "Violence may not have been an issue, but he did harm me psychologically." She has since downplayed the allegations and expressed support for his political ambitions. They have one daughter.
Pita suffers from epilepsy, first discovering he had it when he was living in Boston during his years at Harvard. .....
Pita has been described as “charismatic”, and is known for his optimism. He enjoys rock music, particularly bands such as Coldplay, Metallica, and Radiohead among others. In December 2023, it was reported that Pita had inadvertently leaked the tracklist of the debut album of K-pop group BabyMonster, when he posted photos from inside YG Entertainment studios on Instagram during a trip to South Korea. He later deleted the photo.
In addition to his native Thai, Pita speaks English.
See also
In Spanish: Pita Limjaroenrat para niños
