I always wanted to run a supermarket. I loved going to them when I was young. I loved to see how they ran. Why did they choose to place this product here? What’s the most popular product?

Having a dad and an uncle working at the Ministry of Finance influenced me to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford. So many important figures graduated from there, like English prime ministers David Cameron, Tony Blair and Harold Wilson.

I had never worked before I graduated. My childhood was all about studying and playing sports in school.

At my first job interview, the manager asked me “How could I trust a man who has never worked before?” I answered “I’m sure you have a keen eye for spotting talent.” They asked me back but I ended up working for a London-based investment bank. I think it was a better choice.

I wanted to come back to Thailand after witnessing how far behind our financial industry was compared to Europe or even other Asian countries. I wanted to develop our financial industry and I saw an opportunity to build my own business. I opened my own securities company called JF Thanakom at the age of 24.

I didn’t take advice from others. I was fearless and daring enough to open my own company instead of working for someone to gain more experience. If I had listened to others, I’d still be working for someone else.

I saw the financial crisis coming two years before it happened in 1997. My staff wouldn’t believe me but we began implementing methods to protect ourselves from the disaster. We were one of the few to survive.

I achieved my goal. I wanted to create a good company but I always remembered my ex-boss’s words: “Don’t fall in love with your investment.” So in 2001, it was the right time to sell. That was a big decision.

You have to go against the current if you want to be successful. If they’re selling, you’re buying. If they’re buying, you’re selling. That’s how it works.

After working for 19 years, I felt I wanted to start doing something new with my life. I was 40 and I had used my knowledge to benefit my family. Now I wanted to use it to help others, like my dad and my uncle had as public servants. That spirit is still in me.

When I told them that I wanted to be a politician, they didn’t support me but they respected my decision. They said this country would be more developed if it weren’t for politicians.

I chose the Democrat Party because I like their political ideology and I already knew some members, like Abhisit Vejjajiva who was my senior at Oxford.

I was so naïve about politics. Luckily I had good teachers who are all veteran politicians in the party.

My favorite thing about being a politician is going out on the street to meet people.

The most boring thing in politics is dealing with other MPs to push policy through. They exhaust me.

I ignore people who are skeptical of how I can work for poor people coming from an elite background. I put my best effort into creating policies that help everyone. That’s all the proof you need.

The reason the Democrats always lose might be because we are too idealistic. We think we can convince people with realistic policies. Compare that to our competitors like Pheu Thai, who just use words to stir people—well, they win.

I am one of the first Thai politicians to use social networks in the political field. It’s really a good tool to communicate with people; better than waiting for the media to give you a platform to express yourself.

I prefer Facebook to Twitter. Twitter is too short and too fast to express anything important. On Facebook, I can spend time really crafting the message.

If you ask my wife what I’m crazy about, apart from politics, she would say golf.
I love the challenge. I have to plan each shot and it helps focus my thoughts.

I’m a concerned father. My daughter was approached by a modeling agency. She’s just 14. I didn’t stop her, though.

The best thing that happened to me is my family. Especially my dad and uncle who made me the man I am today.

I planned to be a politician for 15 years but I feel I want to do something else for the next chapter of my life. I don’t know what I’m going to do, though. I just let it be.