From 2003 to 2005, he was the chairman of the Democrat Party and Leader of the Opposition against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

[1] Banyat Bantadtan was born in Kanchanadit, Surat Thani Province.

[4] Under his fellow party member Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, Banyat was Deputy Prime Minister from 1992 to 1995[5] and again in 2000, when he additionally led the Ministry of Interior.

[6][7][8] In 2003, he succeeded Chuan as chairman of the Democrat Party and became official Leader of the Opposition.

After the divorce he married Jittima Sangkasap (Thai: จิตติมา สังขะทรัพย์) ex-wife of Pongpol Adireksarn.