Suriyasai Katasila () 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 (RSU; Thai: มหาวิทยาลัยรังสิต) 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 language, Isan/, ; ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pāli ''isāna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provinces in northeastern Thai ...

. 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 b ...

. While a student at

Kasetsart University Kasetsart University (; ; commonly Kaset or KU) is a public university, public research university in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the largest university in Thailand. It was Thailand's first agriculture, agricultural university and Thailand's third ...

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

Suchinda Kraprayoon Suchinda Kraprayoon (, ; 6 August 193310 June 2025) was a Thai army general and politician who was Prime Minister of Thailand for several weeks in 1992. As the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (1990–1992), Suchinda led the 1991 T ...

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; ; commonly known as "Yellow Shirts") was a Thai reactionary, monarchist political movement and pressure group. It was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime M ...

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

Thaksin Shinawatra Thaksin Shinawatra (, ; born 26 July 1949) is a Thai businessman and politician who was the 23rd prime minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006. Since 2009 he has also been a citizen of Montenegro. Thaksin founded the mobile phone operator A ...

government in 2006 and the

Samak Sundaravej Samak Sundaravej (, , ; 13 June 1935 – 24 November 2009) was a Thai politician who briefly served as the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defence in 2008, as well as the leader of the People's Power Party in 2008. Early life and fa ...

with

Somchai Wongsawat Somchai Wongsawat (, ; born 31 August 1947) is a Thai politician who briefly served as the prime minister of Thailand in 2008. He is a former executive member of the People's Power Party (PPP) whose political rights were disenfranchised by ...

governments in 2008. He was the secretary-general of a

New Politics Party The New Politics Party (abbreviated NPP; , ), was a political party in Thailand founded on 2 June 2009. The NPP was the political party of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD; "Yellow Shirts"), with which it shared the same principles and ...

founded by the PAD leaders in 2009. In February 2019, shortly before that years'

general election A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from By-election, by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. Gener ...

. 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 pr ...

(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 Suriyasai Katasila