A profile of a trusted ally embarking on a mission to restore faith in Thai labor, tracing the path of Prasert Chanruangwong, a powerful figure in the Pheu Thai Party, and his significant steps as Minister of Labor.
On 16 March 2026, when seeking a seasoned and dependable politician, the name Prasert Chanruangwong ranks among the top. Serving six terms as an MP for Nakhon Ratchasima, he has firmly secured the northeastern electorate. Starting from a provincial council member to Secretary-General of the Pheu Thai Party, Prasert has demonstrated enduring political influence passed through generations, with his son, Patchara Chanruangwong, contributing as a young party member.
Prasert's journey has not been without challenges, having gained extensive experience from serving as Deputy Minister of Transport during Yingluck Shinawatra's administration to Minister of Digital Economy and Society and Deputy Prime Minister under the governments of Srettha Thavisin and Paetongtarn Shinawatra. With an economics background from Kasetsart University and a master's degree from the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), he has become a crucial party asset consistently entrusted with major ministries.
Prasert, nicknamed “Kai,” was born on 1 April 1960 in Sikhiu Subdistrict, Sikhiu District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. He completed early primary education at Mongkolkulwitthaya School, later attended Thai Watthana Pracharat School for late primary, Amnuay Silpa School in Phra Nakhon for lower secondary, and Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) School for upper secondary. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration from Kasetsart University and a Master's in Public Administration from NIDA.
Prasert's political career includes two terms as an MP for Nakhon Ratchasima with the Thai Rak Thai Party in 2001 and 2005 before the party was dissolved. He then joined the People's Power Party, winning another election before that party was also dissolved, leading him to join the Pheu Thai Party.
In 2011, Prasert was appointed Deputy Minister of Transport in Yingluck Shinawatra's cabinet until June 2013. Later, in 2020, he became Secretary-General of the Pheu Thai Party, coordinating government formation after the 2023 election. In 2023, he was appointed Minister of Digital Economy and Society in Srettha Thavisin's cabinet and became Deputy Prime Minister in Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government in 2024.
His transition to Minister of Labor in the Anutin government is not coincidental but a strategic move to address complex national challenges on three fronts. His urgent task is to restore trust in the Social Security Fund, which has faced transparency concerns. Prasert is positioned to overhaul the investment and welfare system for fairness and accessibility to insured workers. Leveraging his experience as former Digital Economy Minister, he aims to empower Thai workers through technology-driven upskilling and reskilling, transitioning from traditional production to technology and AI-driven careers, transforming the Ministry of Labor into a future-oriented institution.
A key focus in this role is the “minimum wage” policy, which Pheu Thai’s grassroots supporters see as a golden opportunity to advance wage and welfare policies as a social contract, building popular support ahead of the next major election. Thus, appointing Prasert as Minister of Labor is tantamount to entrusting him with resolving grassroots labor issues. It remains to be seen whether his political savvy combined with a digital vision can truly enable Thai workers to live with sustenance, dignity, and respect.