Profile of M.L. Korakasiwat Kasemsri announcing his candidacy for Bangkok governor under the campaign "SAVE BKK - BKK SAFE".
On 18 May 2026, after M.L. Korakasiwat Kasemsri, commonly known as “Mom Kora,” deputy leader and former prime ministerial candidate of the Palang Pracharath Party, invited the media to a press conference to announce his candidacy for Bangkok governor on Sunday, 24 May, we take a look back at the background of this heir to the Kasemsri royal lineage.
M.L. Korakasiwat Kasemsri is the youngest son among three siblings of M.R. Kasemsiriphun and Wipanee Kasemsri Na Ayudhya. He is currently 59 years old.
Education background
• Bachelor’s degree: Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University
• Master of Business Administration (Finance) from California State University, United States
• Master’s degree in Political Economy, Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University
• Doctorate: PhD in Public Administration and Public Policy from Rangsit University
After completing his bachelor’s degree, he began his career as an engineer overseeing the installation of oil pipelines in the Gulf of Thailand, gaining in-depth knowledge of energy infrastructure. He later transitioned into finance and investment.
- Ayudhya JF Asset Management Company
- Assistant Secretary of the Government Pension Fund (GPF)
- Independent energy scholar and leader of the Thai People’s Energy Reform Network (TPERN), advocating for the establishment of a national oil corporation
- Chief Operating Officer (COO) of GMM Grammy
- Secretary of the Subcommittee on Energy Governance within the Senate’s Commission for the Study and Investigation of Corruption and Governance Enhancement
M.L. Korakasiwat is known as an “independent energy scholar” who has scrutinized the concession system, questioning the “revenue figures” the state receives from petroleum concessions in Thailand, arguing that the country’s returns are too low compared to major energy companies. He has actively campaigned for a fair restructuring of oil, natural gas, and electricity prices.
At the end of 2025, after General Prawit Wongsuwan withdrew as the Palang Pracharath Party’s prime ministerial candidate, the party reshuffled its lineup and promoted M.L. Korakasiwat, as deputy party leader and executive committee member, to be one of the prime ministerial candidates alongside Ms. Treenuch Thienthong.
In early April 2026, rumors surfaced that he was approached by leaders of the Democrat Party to run for Bangkok governor. He later denied this, affirming he remained a member of Palang Pracharath Party, saying only outsiders from the Democrat Party wished to discuss it and that respect must be given to senior party figures. He did admit personal interest in running for Bangkok governor.
On 1 May 2026, the Palang Pracharath Party spokesperson announced the party would not field a candidate for Bangkok governor due to territorial limitations but opened the door for M.L. Korakasiwat to run as an independent. Most recently, “Mom Kora” sent invitations to the media for a press conference to launch his independent candidacy for Bangkok governor, supported by a team of professional leaders to serve Bangkok residents under the campaign "SAVE BKK - BKK SAFE" (Building a Safe Bangkok)
