Nattawut Saikua

Nattawut Saikua (; ; born 4 June 1975) is a Thai politician and political activist. He is the secretary-general and spokesman of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship ("Red Shirts"), and a Member of Parliament for the Pheu Thai Party list. In 2008, he was spokesman for the Somchai Wongsawat government. From January 2012 to May 2014, he served as Deputy Minister in Yingluck Shinawatra's cabinet.

Education and family Nattawut was born in Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. He has one older brother, Jettanan. Nattawut studied communication studies at the Dhurakij Pundit University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1998. Later, he attended the Master of Public and Private Management programme of the National Institute of Development Administration, graduating in 2005. He is married to Sirisakul Saikua, and they have one son and one daughter.

Orator and TV personality Nattawut has a reputation as a stirring orator. The UDD is a political pressure group that campaigned and fiercely protested against the 2006 Thai coup d'état, which overthrew the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, against the military-installed government and the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva. Nattawut and his friends had a role in the initiation of the pro-Thaksin PTV channel. Moreover, they hosted the political talkshow Truth Today. Afterwards, Nattawut was prosecuted on terrorism charges.

At the 2011 Thai general election Nattawut Saikua was elected Member of Parliament on the winning Pheu Thai Party list. When Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reshuffled her cabinet on 18 January 2012, Nattawut was named Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives. After the Cabinet reshuffle on 28 October 2012, he changed to the Ministry of Commerce. He lost his government office during the coup d'état on 22 May 2014. After the coup, he was held in military detention for seven days, alongside other "Red Shirt" leaders.

Controversies In a 2010 speech, Nattawut insinuated that Jarungjit Thikara, a lady-in-waiting of Queen Sirikit, ordered the army to crack down on the 2010 protests on the queen's behalf.

On 22 June 2013, a music video surfaced on YouTube featuring Nattawut singing about and promoting local grocery stores. The video received harsh criticism, with some viewers stating it was a waste of government spending.