Sondhi Limthongkul[a] (born 7 November 1947) is a Thai media proprietor, conspiracy theorist, pro-Beijing anti-democracy reactionary activist, demagogue, and leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

In April 2009, Abhisit faced massive anti-government protests led by the pro-Thaksin red shirts which caused the Fourth East Asia Summit to be canceled and was followed by riots in Bangkok.

Days after the Bangkok unrest was quelled by military force, gunmen ambushed Sondhi's car, a black Toyota Vellfire, at a petrol station.

His banker, Viroj Nualkhair, became president of state-owned Krung Thai Bank and gave more than a billion baht in "debt forgiveness" to Sondhi, allowing him to emerge from bankruptcy.

Army commander and co-leader of the 2006 coup, General Anupong Paochinda, pressured several PPP MPs to switch to the Democrat Party, allowing Abhisit to form a government and become prime minister.

"[9] Citing the claimed failure of popular democracy in Thailand, Sondhi has suggested constitutional amendments that some members of parliament should be chosen by profession, a proposal that was seen as 'undemocratic' by his opponents.

[10][11] Closely affiliated with Queen Sirikit and prominent royalists, Sondhi regularly invoked king Bhumibol Adulyadej in his protests, and has claimed that his enemies are disloyal to the monarchy, aiming at destroying the country's political form.

IEC was the exclusive handset retailer for Nokia phones, and its major customers were the two rival mobile-phone groups Advanced Info Service, which belonged to future prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and Total Access Communication (later known as DTAC).

The Manager Group-led Asia Broadcasting and Communications Network (ABCN) set up its satellite project, Lao Star Co – which was worth about THB 9 billion – as a joint venture with the Laotian government in 1995.

He owned a hotel in China's Yunnan province, ran a cement factory in Vietnam, and set up a regional business conference company.

Emerging from bankruptcy, Sondhi started his own TV show, 'Thailand Weekly' airing on MCOT's channel and co-hosted by Sarocha Pornudomsak.

In 2004, state-owned Krung Thai Bank (KTB) shocked Thailand's financial world by reclassifying approximately Bt40 billion as problem loans.

In July 2004, Sondhi's Channel 11/1 was temporarily ordered to stop broadcasting because of a contract dispute between cable operator UBC and the government regulator.

In September 2005, MCOT (broadcaster of Channel 9), in response to allegations that Muangthai Rai Sapda had made inappropriate references to the monarchy, cancelled the program.

The newspaper did not criticise the prime minister fairly as a public official, but rather it took him to task personally, using harsh words, which was damaging to him," said Thana Benjathikul, Thaksin's lawyer.

[33] The lawsuit, along with several other libel cases, was withdrawn after King Bhumibol Adulyadej indirectly advised against such legal action during his annual birthday speech.

Starting October 2005, the website of Manager newspaper ran an article alleging that the Prime Minister had usurped a royal function of the King by presiding over the ceremony.

On 9 November 2005, Cabinet secretary-general Bovornsak Uwanno, without showing any evidence, claimed that King Bhumibol Adulyadej had granted permission to Prime Minister Thaksin to preside over a grand merit-making ceremony.

Sondhi hosted an own outdoor talk show throughout late 2005 and early 2006 at Thammasat University and in Lumphini Park with his slogan, "We Fight for the King".

[43] In the early hours of 21 March 2006, 27-year-old Thanakorn Pakdeepol entered the popular Phra Phrom Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok and attacked the figure of Brahma with a hammer.

However, on 19 September 2006, the Thai military, led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, overthrew the Thaksin government, dissolved the Parliament, and abrogated the constitution.

[49] During his trip, he also raised funds for the IPO of his satellite business, and explained that he had spent almost 420 million baht of his own money on the PAD campaign.

[50] As a reward for his support, Sondhi was invited by the Council for National Security (the military junta that overthrew Thaksin's government) to air a political commentary show on government-run Channel 11.

[53] For the 5th day, 30,000 protesters, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, occupied Sundaravej's Government House compound in central Bangkok, forcing him and his advisers to work out of a military command post.

Police issued arrest warrants for Sondhi Limthongkul and 8 other protest leaders on charges of insurrection, conspiracy, unlawful assembly and refusing orders to disperse.

[58][59] On 27 April 2007, Sondhi claimed on his "Yam Fao Phaendin" (Guard of the Land) TV program that an amendment to the anti-corruption law passed by the National Legislative Assembly had been "stuck" for a month after being submitted for royal endorsement, and suggested the "delay" could be due to family ties between Arsa Sarasin (King Bhumibol's Principal Private Secretary) and Pong Sarasin (his eldest brother, a major shareholder in a company that Sondhi accused of acting as a nominee in the sale of Shin Corporation to Temasek Holdings).

[60] Sondhi issued an apology a few days later, but also publicly warned Arsa that he had no right to use the office of the King's Principal Private Secretary to defend himself in a personal matter.

He then accused the King's Principal Private Secretary of speaking with the Attorney General and the Police Commander in order to get charges of lese majeste against Thaksin Shinawatra dropped.

Among the elected executives are Somsak as deputy party leader, Suriyasai Katasila as secretary-general, Pratheep Chuenarom as treasurer and Samran Rodphet as spokesman.

Apart from the executive board, the party also unveiled its team of advisors which include Sompong Sujaritkul, Chai-Anan Samudavanija, Udon Tontisunthorn, Sompoj Piyaui, Pipob Thongchai, Parnthep Puvanartnurak, Samart Sotesatit, Arthit Urairat, Pichai Ratanadilok, Suwinai Pornvalai, Chavin Leenabanjong, Sombat Bensirimongkol, Prayoon Akrabavorn, Ammarin Korma and Somsak Ismanyee.