A profile of Pradorn Prissanananthakul, the youthful five-term Member of Parliament for Ang Thong 5 from the Bhumjaithai Party, who, in the second Anutin cabinet reshuffle, remains in his position as Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office.
On 14 March 2026, the elections for Members of the House of Representatives (MPs) both by constituency and party list, as well as the referendum, concluded on 8 February. After the Election Commission officially certified the results, it was clear that the Bhumjaithai Party secured 191 seats, the highest number, positioning it as the leading party to form the government. Reports of coalition talks with partner parties have been ongoing.
Clarity came from Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, during a press conference on 12 March 2026, alongside Chulanont Amornwiwat, leader of the Pheu Thai Party, announcing their coalition government formation along with nine smaller parties. Together, they gathered 291 MPs. Amid rumors about the division of ministerial portfolios, Bhumjaithai leaders remained cautious regarding the ministerial positions they would secure.
Beyond ministerial posts under the Bhumjaithai-led government, important legislative leadership roles include the Speaker and the First and Second Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives. At one point, among the names mentioned for the Speaker position was Mr. Pradorn Prissanananthakul. However, it was later confirmed that Mr. Sophon Sarum, MP for Buriram from Bhumjaithai, was nominated for Speaker. Meanwhile, the finalized second Anutin cabinet roster shows that Mr. Pradorn will remain in his current role as Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office.
Pradorn Prissanananthakul, nicknamed 'Bad', was born on 18 September 1979. In 2026, he will turn 47. He was born in Ekarat Subdistrict, Pa Mok District, Ang Thong Province. He is the son of Somsak and Raweewan Prissanananthakul and has a younger brother, Karavee Prissanananthakul, nicknamed 'Champ', also an MP for Ang Thong from the Bhumjaithai Party in the 2026 election.
Regarding his education, Pradorn graduated from Suankularb Wittayalai School at the secondary level. He holds a bachelor's degree in Statistics from the Faculty of Science and Technology at Thammasat University and a master's degree in Economics from Warwick University in the United Kingdom.
Pradorn first ran for MP in Ang Thong alongside his father, Somsak, on 23 December 2007 and was elected. He was re-elected in 2011 under the Chart Thai Pattana Party. In 2018, he moved to the Bhumjaithai Party and was re-elected in 2019 as MP for Ang Thong for the third term. He was appointed spokesperson for the Bhumjaithai Party. In 2020, he was elected chairman of the special committee to hear opinions from students and the public in the 25th House of Representatives. In the 2023 election, he was elected for a fourth term.
On 11 September 2024, during the 26th House of Representatives session to elect the Second Deputy Speaker replacing Pichet Chueamphan, who resigned to become the First Deputy Speaker, Sorawong Thienthong, secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party, nominated Pradorn for the Second Deputy Speaker position. With no other nominations, Pradorn was appointed to the post by royal decree on 13 September.
After a period in coalition government led by Pheu Thai, the Bhumjaithai Party executive committee resolved to withdraw from the coalition following a leaked audio clip involving Prime Minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen amid the 2025 Thai-Cambodian border crisis. Pradorn announced his resignation as Second Deputy Speaker to serve with Bhumjaithai MPs in opposition, as a political responsibility and to set a precedent for the House, effective from 19 June 2025, coinciding with the resignation of all Bhumjaithai-affiliated ministers.
Subsequently, on 29 August 2025, the Constitutional Court ruled that Paethongtarn Shinawatra was no longer Prime Minister, resulting in the entire cabinet's dissolution. The Palang Pracharath Party then resolved to vote for Anutin as the 32nd Prime Minister on 5 September 2026, under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), forming a minority government. Pradorn took office as Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office. Anutin announced plans to dissolve the House of Representatives within four months. However, as the administration progressed, rumors surfaced about an impending no-confidence motion. Around the same time, Anutin submitted the royal decree to dissolve the House of Representatives of 2025. On 12 December 2026, the royal decree dissolving the House was officially published in the Royal Gazette.Royal decree dissolves the House of Representatives, leading to new elections and returning power to the people.This initiated the process of holding new elections.
In the 2026 election, Pradorn was re-elected as MP for Ang Thong under the Bhumjaithai Party for the fifth term. During his tenure as Second Deputy Speaker, Pradorn received praise for his conduct, demeanor, and effective management of multiple parliamentary sessions. Attention now turns to whether in 2026 he will continue as a minister in Anutin's second cabinet or take a higher legislative position. Another leading name for Speaker is Mr. Sophon Sarum, Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Buriram 5, also from Bhumjaithai.
On 17 February, at the Government House, Pradorn declined to comment directly on rumors about becoming Speaker of the House, responding playfully: “Are you going to fire me? Do you want me out of the Government House?” When asked whether he preferred being a minister or Speaker, he smiled and replied briefly: “I can do both.”
