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Somkiat Pongpaiboon in a seminar

Somkiat Pongpaiboon (Thai script: สมเกียรติ พงษ์ไพบูลย์; 12 January 1950 – 14 November 2021) was a Thai Professor at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. He became a member of the Thai House of Representatives in 2007 from Democrat Party and a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, and the co-founder of the Mass Party. Somkiat was an advocate for the poor and a major critic of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.[1]

Activism and key works

Somkiat claimed to have been investigated three times for organizing protests for poor farmers against government officials and politicians.[citation needed]

Somkiat claimed to have written many academic papers and provided many academic researches regarding social development and strategy to counter poverty.[citation needed] He was also a regular contributor to many newspapers and magazines.[citation needed]

The People's Alliance for Democracy

In February 2006, Pongpaiboon was selected to be one of the five leaders of People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). Somkiat represented the Thai academic community.

Pongpaiboon was considered a charismatic public speaker.

The Mass Party

In May 2006, Somkiat and other PAD leaders established the Mass Party. Somkiat claimed that "Our objective is to campaign against Thaksinomics." The party unconventionally planned not to field MP candidates for the first 5 years, while Somkiat claimed that "If we field MP candidates, we will be trapped in vicious circles of money politics." Other party co-founders included former Palang Dharma Party leader Chaiwat Sinsuwong and the Campaign for Popular Democracy's Pipob Thongchai.[2]

Death

Somkiat died on 14 November 2021 from cerebral hemorrhage at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital.[3][4][5]

References

  1. ^ "Somkiat reports to court after arrest warrant issued". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  2. ^ The Nation, "New parties sprouting already Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine", 17 May 2006
  3. ^ "PAD's core member Somkiat dies from stroke". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  4. ^ matichon (17 October 2021). "'เถกิง สมทรัพย์' โพสต์แจ้ง 'สมเกียรติ พงษ์ไพบูลย์' เสียชีวิตลงอย่างสงบ". มติชนออนไลน์ (in Thai). Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  5. ^ "ญาติไม่ยื้อ 'สมเกียรติ พงษ์ไพบูลย์' อดีตแกนนำพธม. เลือดออกในก้านสมอง". bangkokbiznews (in Thai). 17 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
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