Kalaya Sophonpanich (Thai: กัลยา โสภณพนิช; RTGS: Kanlaya Sophonphanit; Chinese: 龍宛虹; pinyin: Lóng Wǎnhóng;[2] born 21 September 1940) is a Thai physicist and politician who served as the Minister of Science and Technology from 2008 to 2010.

Kalaya was born in poor Thai Chinese family in Nakhon Ratchasima in Isan (northeast region).

[3] She graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honors) from the Faculty of Science at Chulalongkorn University in 1961, and received a Colombo scholarship to study for a master's degree, also receiving scholarships at doctoral level to read nuclear physics at Imperial College London where she earned a Ph.D. in high-energy nuclear physics in 1970.

Then she was the founder and president of the Prapakarnpanya Foundation for helping Mentally Retarded People of Thailand under royal patronage.

She was appointed Minister of Science and Technology in the 2008 cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva.