Introducing Phawut Pongvitayapanu, the 7th list candidate for MP from the People's Party and candidate for Minister of Digital Economy. He has a distinguished profile as one of the pioneers in Thai e-commerce and previously ran for the Senate in 2024.
On 12 Jan 2026 GMT+7, the People's Party (Pch.) launched the "People's Government Management Team" in the campaign The Professionals, adding Phawut Pongvitayapanu as the 7th list candidate for MP. He is a pioneer in the Thai e-commerce sector, founder of TARAD.com, CEO and Founder of Pay Solutions and Creden.co, as well as an investor and digital speaker. He has previously run for the Senate with policies focused on developing digital infrastructure for Thai entrepreneurs.
Phawut posted on Facebook that when his warnings were not heeded, he decided to take action himself. Many recognize him as a digital entrepreneur and founder of TARAD.COM, who has been involved in Thai e-commerce since its early days. Over 25 years, he has witnessed growth and opportunities, but also a quietly emerging "crisis."
For years, he has tried to raise his voice as a "warning signal" for Thailand's online economy. He has spoken out about Chinese and foreign capital rapidly dominating Thai e-commerce, pushing small Thai entrepreneurs aside. Speaking as the association president and from the private sector, he has voiced these concerns relentlessly. Yet the harsh reality is that "warnings alone cannot change laws." The distorted structure requires policy and legal reforms.
From his direct experience, he sees clearly that Thai merchants do not lose because they lack skill, but because of unfair competition structures. They lose to Chinese products flooding the market with lower costs, supported by logistics systems, and importantly, significantly different tax burdens. He has questioned on many platforms whether Thailand is losing economic sovereignty to multinational platforms.
Phawut emphasized that he is not against foreign capital nor wishes to close the country. Instead, he calls for a clear state "strategy" to respond, cooperate, and counterattack to protect Thailand's economic base. This realization led him to step out of his business comfort zone into the more complex and challenging "political arena" to move from policy critic to active policy advocate in a place where decisions can truly change the fate of Thailand's digital economy.
"My entry into this field is a firm spiritual commitment to transform our country's structure. I want to see an inclusive economy, where small players are not left behind, where the dreams of Thai SMEs are not crushed by monopolistic capital, and where the benefits of development reach the people equally. This is the mission of Thailand's transformation that I and the People's Party are ready to undertake," Phawut stated.
Phawut Pongvitayapanu is a member of the People's Government management team for economic affairs, passionate about "opening new markets and transforming the Thai state through digital power." He is currently a list MP candidate for the People's Party.
Education
Master's degree in Internet & E-Commerce, Assumption University
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration, Chulalongkorn University
Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Rangsit University
Work Experience
CEO of E-Infrastructure Co., Ltd., Pay Solutions Co., Ltd., Creden.co, and Kulab
Founder and CEO of TARAD.com
