Watanya Bunnag
PM (GCCT)
วทันยา บุนนาค
Personal details
Born (1984-11-13) 13 November 1984
Thailand
Political partyDemocrat
Other political
affiliations		Palang Pracharath (2018–2022)
SpouseShine Bunnag
Children2, including Pojai, Popiang
Education
Occupation
  • Politician
  • businesswoman

Watanya "Dear" Bunnag (Thai: วทันยา บุนนาค, born 13 November 1984), also known as Madame Dear is a Thai politician and businesswoman. She previously served as a party-list MP for the Palang Pracharath Party before joining the Democrat Party.

Early life and education

Watanya (née Wongopasi) graduated from the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University. While she was a student, she used to be a cheerleader in the Chula–Thammasat Traditional Football Match.

Careers

Football and business

Watanya is widely known for being the manager of Thailand national under-21 football team and Thailand national under-23 football team.[1]

In addition, she also used to be the president of the News Network Corporation PCL. (Spring News).[1]

Political career

Politically, Watanya was a party-list MP for the Palang Pracharath Party from the general election in 2019. She was the leader of a group called "Constellation", which consisted of approximately six MPs in Bangkok. On August 16, 2022, she resigned from being an MP and a member of the Palang Pracharat Party.[1]

Later, on September 22 of the same year, she ran to become a member of the Democrat Party. Watanya was also appointed as the head of the party's political innovation team in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region for the general election in 2023.[2][3]

After the Democrat Party’s massive loss in the 2023 general election which prompted the resignation of the party’s leader, Jurin Laksanawisit, Wattanya ran for party leadership along with former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the party’s acting leader Chalermchai Sri-on, and Lt-Colonel Thita Rangsitpol Manitkul.

On 9 December 2023, the Democrat Party commenced a meeting to elect its new leader. However, under Democrat Party regulation No. 31, a candidate for the party leader’s post must have served as a Democrat member of Parliament and been a member of the party for a minimum of five years. Watanya meets neither of these two requirements.

An exception could be made for a candidate who gains approval from more than three-fourths of members attending the meeting. Watanya would have needed 196 out of 261 votes to meet the requirement. However, she garnered only 139, forcing her out of the race. After acknowledging her loss, Watanya immediately left the meeting with tears in her eyes.[4] She told reporters that she was thankful for all the support and said the only way for revival of the party was to bring back its longstanding ideology.

Watanya said she would take some time to contemplate whether she would continue with the party or not, adding that she would not be taking up any positions within the party.[5][6]

Family life

Watanya married (officially) to Shine Bunnag, The Nation CEO, in 2022, after 13 years of living together. The couple has two children.[7]

Royal decorations

  • 2017 - Knight Commander (Second Class).[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "ประวัติ "มาดามเดียร์" วทันยา วงษ์โอภาสี สะใภ้บุนนาค กับทรัพย์สินเกือบ 500 ล้าน". Thairath (in Thai). 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  2. ↑ "'Madam Dear' makes defection to Democrats official". Bangkokpost. 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  3. ↑ "ปชป.เปิดทีมหาเสียง กทม. ตั้ง 'มาดามเดียร์' ปธ.นวัตกรรมการเมือง 'พี่เอ้' หัวหน้านโยบาย ลต". Matichon (in Thai). 2022-10-10. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  4. ↑ "Watanya's dreams of leading Democrat Party dashed". nationthailand. 2023-12-09. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  5. ↑ "Watanya's dreams of leading Democrat Party dashed". nationthailand. 2023-12-09. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  6. ↑ "Chalermchai, the new Democrat party leader". www.thaipbsworld.com. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  7. ↑ "Nation CEO Shine and MP Watanya marry after 13 years as devoted couple". The Nation. 2022-05-01. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  8. ↑ ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก และเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย ประจำปี ๒๕๖๓
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