Pita Limjaroenrat

In 2023, as leader of the Move Forward Party, Pita Limjaroenrat led a historic campaign that won the most votes in Thailand’s national election. The party’s vision, focused on reform, fairness, and transparency resonated strongly with the public.

Despite forming a majority coalition, Limjaroenrat was blocked from becoming prime minister. Appointed senators refused to confirm his leadership, and soon after, he was suspended from Parliament by court order. Months later, the Move Forward Party was dissolved, and Pita Limjaroenrat was banned from politics for ten years. Limjaroenrat became the 252nd Thai politician to be removed through legal and procedural means, a pattern he describes as a “judicial coup.”

Now a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, Pita Limjaroenrat continues to work on democratic reform from abroad. He lectures and mentors students, focusing on how laws and institutions are sometimes used to weaken democracy instead of protecting it. He often speaks of the need for demilitarisation, de-monopolisation, and decentralisation in Thailand. Calling for a political and economic system that better serves ordinary citizens, not just elites.

Pita Limjaroenrat recently published his first book, The Almost Prime Minister. In it, he shares untold stories from his journey. From startup founder to member of Parliament to leading a popular but ultimately blocked bid for prime minister. The book includes leadership lessons for young changemakers, educators, and anyone interested in how democracy works and breaks.

Limjaroenrat brings rare insight into how systems resist change and what it takes to challenge them with integrity. From policy schools, civic tech forums to global development summits and corporate leadership events, he offers a powerful perspective on navigating political roadblocks, rebuilding trust in public institutions, and inspiring the next generation of changemakers.