A look at the background of “Dr. Joe” Chaiwat Sathaworawijit, a member of the Prachachon Party’s government management team for economic affairs, who is being watched as the leading candidate for governor of Bangkok.
As of 28 April 2026, Dr. Joe - Chaiwat Sathaworawijit, a member of the Prachachon Party’s economic management team and current party-list member of parliament, is 44 years old.
- Completed secondary education at Suankularb Wittayalai School; earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering with first-class honors from the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University.
- Master of Science in Information Science from Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST).
- Doctor of Philosophy in Information Science from Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST).
Career history
2002 - Engineer at Schlumberger Overseas S.A.
2008-2011 - Researcher at Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
2011-2013 - Senior Researcher at NEC Corporation, Central Research Laboratories.
2013-2023 - Bank of Thailand, last position Deputy Director of the Organizational Strategy Group.
2020-2021 - Advisor at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Innovation Hub.
2023-2025 - Party-list Member of Parliament, formerly with Move Forward Party and Prachachon Party.
2024-present - Deputy Leader of the Prachachon Party.
Mr. Chaiwat has said in interviews that his inspiration to become a politician arose while working at the Bank of Thailand, where he handled policies that government agencies could implement but faced legal limitations. The central bank makes policies, but politicians make laws, leading to inefficiencies in policy execution. Many laws need amending, and he hopes to see Thailand improve.
On 19 July 2023, netizens began asking about his identity after photos circulated showing the handsome young MP embracing and consoling Tim Pita Limjaroenrat, when the Constitutional Court ordered Tim Pita to suspend his MP duties over media shareholding. This sparked excitement among supporters and led to investigations into his background, revealing his impressive credentials.
