Kalaya Sophonpanich


Kalaya Sophonpanich is a Thai physicist and politician who served as the Minister of Science and Technology from 2008 to 2010.

Early life and education

Kalaya was born in poor Thai Chinese family in Nakhon Ratchasima in Isan. She married Chote Sophonpanich, the fourth son of well-known magnate Chin Sophonpanich.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the Faculty of Science at Chulalongkorn University in 1961, and received a Colombo scholarship to study for a master's degree, also receiving scholarships at doctoral level to read nuclear physics at Imperial College London where she earned a Ph.D. in high-energy nuclear physics in 1970.

Careers

She was a co-founder of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center in 1986. Then she was the founder and president of the Prapakarnpanya Foundation for helping Mentally Retarded People of Thailand under royal patronage.
Kalaya is more widely known when applying for the Governor of Bangkok in 2000 as an independent candidate, getting number 4 even though not elected but has gained popularity with the people of Bangkok. Later she became a member of Democrat Party who applied to be a member of the House of Representatives in the elections of 2001 and 2005.
She was appointed Minister of Science and Technology in the 2008 cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva. She was replaced by Virachai Virameteekul after the cabinet reshuffle in June 2010.
She was appointed Deputy Minister of Education in the Second Prayut cabinet on 10 July 2019. When the minister, Nataphol Teepsuwan, was removed after being convicted by the Criminal Court in early 2021, she also served as acting minister until the appointment of Trinuch Thienthong.
On 19 September 2025, she resigned from the Democrat Party, announcing her intention to co-found the Thai Kao Mai Party together with Suchatvee Suwansawat, also a former Democrat member.

Royal decorations