Political scion wants to bridge gap between Democrats, youth and tackle climate change, writes Nattaya Chetchotiros

Pornphrom Vikitsreth intends to put his political science knowledge and expertise in environmental management to use for the good of the Democrats. (Photo by Varuth Hirunyatheb)

Four years ago, a New York University student decided to spend one year working with the Bangkok Post editorial team as an intern after having his imagination captured by the bloody protest of pro-Thaksin red-shirt demonstrators he followed closely in 2013.

Furious by what they saw as the undemocratic rise to power of the Abhisit Vejjajiva government, the protesters gathered for a weeks-long rally to oust Mr Abhisit, the leader of the Democrat Party.

In 2018, the 26-year-old former intern now sees himself working with the party.

Pornphrom Vikitsreth, known by his colleagues as "Prom", is not reporting what politicians and social advocates say. Rather, he is now one of the speakers, having settled in the career he has a passion for.

"The more I studied politics and history, the more I fell in love with political affairs," Mr Pornphrom said, referring to his undergraduate studies in political science at King's College London.

His interest in politics took root there. It has grown stronger and drove him to start a political career with the Democrat Party, joining other young bloods in crafting policies and helping to connect the party with teenagers who are usually impressed more by pop culture than political trends.

King's College London encouraged him to look more closely at political systems and draw comparisons between them.

Mr Pornphrom said he devoted considerable time to Thai politics, especially the turbulence of early 2013.

At that time, Mr Pornphrom was a keen political observer, as well as a reporter keeping people updated about events and answering doubts raised by his professors and friends.

He took the job seriously of explaining Thailand's political problems to the British public.

After graduating from King's College, he decided to pursue energy and environmental policy at New York University.

He then returned to Thailand to learn more about political issues, especially those in connection with the red-shirt uprising.

"I'd been mostly assigned to cover political and social issues," Mr Pornphrom said.

This was a chance for him to bring his political studies into a real context, even though he failed to complete his internship by not turning in a big political story.

"My highlight was doing a piece on the subject of human trafficking in the fishing industry," he said.

It was another after-class activity that took him a step closer to politics.

Mr Pornphrom worked as an assistant to a US Democratic Party representative for California who taught him to put people's benefits above the party, and even the US president in some cases.

When a politician is faced with the dilemma of choosing between their party and the public, the latter must win, Mr Pornphrom said.

Once he was tasked with receiving phone calls from people in the representative's constituency to gather their opinions on a new bill being considered by Congress.

"He [the representative] was not reluctant to side with the people," even though their demands conflicted with those of the party.

The representative would "often confront President Obama", Mr Pornphrom said.

After finishing his master's degree, he intended to apply the experience he had gained overseas in Thailand by serving as a politician.

His father, Panich Vikitsreth, is a former Democrat MP for Bangkok. But unlike some other political young bloods who want to follow in their parents' footsteps, Mr Pornphrom said he wants to walk his own path.

"I'm not my dad's 'political heir'," he said.

"If the party fields me in a constituency arena, I won't choose the two districts of Bung Kum or Kannayao [which my father represented, in Bangkok]."

Mr Pornphrom said he never thought of benefiting from his father's political stronghold.

His father, a businessman-turned-politician, also did not start his political career out of public support. He was more adept at management than running other jobs that require the art of building and maintaining relationships with numerous people, he said.

Mr Pornphrom said they rarely discuss politics except at party meetings.

Usually they prefer to touch on life skills. One example is how to be a good team player.

Mr Pornphrom said he prefers to avoid the spotlight and working as a group of young blood Democrats suits him down the ground.

The party wants all of its members to contribute to crafting new policies, as many of their jobs hold different areas of expertise.

Mr Pornphrom said he wants to use his academic and political science background to help promote a new environmental policy.

But other senior party members are already working in key environmental jobs, including plans to increase forest areas and forging ways to conserve and develop water sources, he said.

"I would focus on global warming and plastic waste disposal," he added.

American children are already required to study the causes and effects of climate change at an elementary school level. Even Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has donated money to support this cause.

"I would like to make everyone understand that environmental problems are not far-flung issues," Mr Pornphrom said, adding the world is at risk.

He also wants awaken young people to the importance of involving themselves in politics.

His group will serve as a "bridge" between them and the 72-year-old Democrat Party, he added.