Pongpol Adireksarn

Who is Pongpol Adireksarn?

Pongpol Adireksarn is a Thai politician of the Thai Rak Thai party. Using the pen name Paul Adirex he is also an author of several novels.

Adireksarn received a BA from Lehigh University in 1964, and an MA from the American University in 1966. Upon returning to Thailand, he took a position at the Department of Economic Relations Ministry of Economic Affairs, followed by a position in the Thai Department of Central Intelligence.

Between 1973 and 1991, Adireksarn worked in the private sector with such positions as Managing Director of Royal Mosaic Exports Co., Ltd., President of Thailand Leatherwork Co., Ltd., and President of Express Transport Organization.

Pongpol's father, Pramarn Adireksarn, was one of the co-founders of the Thai Nation Party, as well as a brother-in-law of former Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan. Pongpol's brother Yongyol was also a politician. Praman was also the son of a Chinese immigrant father and a Thai mother, and in 1989 he made a much-publicised trip to his ancestral homeland in Chaoyang. By all accounts Praman found out that he had a half-brother, who died in 1950. The descendants of his half-brother were aware of Praman's existence, who was identified as "马升平" in Chinese to these descendants.