An overview of “Akniti Nitithanprapas” shows he firmly retains his seat in the Anutin 2 Cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, as before. His credentials are exceptional, having earned scholarships from undergraduate through doctoral studies.
On 16 Mar 2026 GMT+7, reporters noted that in the Anutin 2 Cabinet reshuffle under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Mr. Akniti Nitithanprapas retained his previous roles as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, as in the first Anutin Cabinet. His proven success includes reviving the 'Khon La Khrueng' policy, which won widespread public support and significantly boosted the Bhumjaithai Party's popularity.
Mr. Akniti, Minister of Finance, graduated with a Bachelor of Economics (with honors) from Thammasat University (supported by the Thammasat Economics Association scholarship). He then received a Thai government scholarship from the Civil Service Commission to pursue a master's degree in Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, followed by a doctoral degree in Economics at Claremont Graduate University in the United States. Known as an outstanding student, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Illinois, the Outstanding Scholarship Award from the Civil Service Commission, the Rising Economist of the Year Award in 2009, the Outstanding Economist Award in 2018 from the Thammasat Economics Association, and the Distinguished Alumni Awards from both the Faculty of Economics and Thammasat University in 2024. Additionally, he was a youth national rugby football player for Thailand and served as president of the Thammasat University Rugby Football Club.
Previously, he served as Director-General of the Treasury Department and concurrently held positions including Chairman of TMBThanachart Bank Public Company Limited, Board Member and Chairman of the Corporate Governance and Sustainability Committee at PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited, Chairman of Treasury Asset Development Company Limited, executive board member of Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB), OECD & United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), board member and executive at Vajiravudh College, and member of the NIDA University Council.
His career began at the World Bank in the United States as Senior Advisor to the Executive Director. He later served as spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance before being appointed Deputy Ambassador (Economic and Financial Affairs) to the United Kingdom and Europe. He also worked as an international economic consultant for the Fiscal Policy Office and as director of the State Enterprise Policy Office.
During Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's government, Mr. Akniti was reassigned from Director-General of the Revenue Department to Director-General of the Excise Department, while Mr. Lawaron Saengsanit moved from Excise to Revenue Department leadership after completing a four-year term. Later, under Prime Minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra's administration, he was reassigned again as Director-General of the Treasury Department.
In his experience as chairman, he has served as Chairman of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, Chairman of Krung Thai Bank Public Company Limited, Chairman of Thanachart Bank Public Company Limited, Chairman of the National Credit Bureau Company Limited, Chairman of Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM Bank), Chairman of the Risk Management Committee at the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank), Chairman of the Risk Management Committee at Krungthai Asset Management Public Company Limited (KTAM), board member and corporate governance committee member of Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited, board member of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Limited, and board member of IRPC Public Company Limited.
Mr. Akniti's notable achievements include introducing digital systems to upgrade the Revenue Department and Excise Department services, earning him the Government Outstanding Digital Leader Award in 2023 and the international Digital Government Award for Asia Oceania in 2022. He received the Thailand Digital Transformation Award in 2021 and initiated the establishment of the Thailand Future Fund, a new government fundraising source that helps reduce national debt. He led state enterprise reforms by implementing a skills-based selection system for board members, known as the Skill Matrix, and co-founded and designed the macroeconomic analysis and forecasting system for the Ministry of Finance.
Mr. Akniti entered politics at the invitation of Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul during government formation in late 2025. He resigned from his position as Director-General of the Treasury Department to join the cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. Recognized as a highly influential technocrat, he contributed to the Bhumjaithai Party’s rising popularity. Ahead of the 2026 election, Mr. Anutin announced that Mr. Akniti was among the party's potential prime ministerial candidates, though he declined.
In the formation of the Anutin 2 Cabinet, Mr. Akniti retained his previous posts as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. The Bhumjaithai Party entrusted him to fully focus on ministry duties without political interference, as no coalition partners were appointed as deputy ministers.
