Rosana Tositrakul
{{Short description|Thai politician}}
{{Infobox person
|honorific_prefix=
| name = Rosana Tositrakul
| native_name = รสนา โตสิตระกูล
| native_name_lang = th
| image = File:Rosana Tositrakul.jpg
| imagesize = 150
| caption = Rosana Tositrakul in 2010
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|09|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bangkok, Thailand
| death_date =
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| othername =
| education = Thammasat University
| occupation = {{hlist|NGOs|politician}}
| yearsactive = 2006–present
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
| website =
| awards =
}}
Rosana Tositrakul ({{langx|th|รสนา โตสิตระกูล}}; born 27 September 1953) is a Thai politician and former Senator for Bangkok. She was first elected in 2006, only to find the polls scrapped by a military coup.{{cite news|title=Interview Rosana Tositrakul, social activist|newspaper=Thai Press Reports|date=April 16, 2007|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8544830210&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8544830216&cisb=22_T8544830215&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=227171&docNo=4|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128102632/http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8544830210&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8544830216&cisb=22_T8544830215&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=227171&docNo=4|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 28, 2013|accessdate=February 12, 2010}}{{failed verification|date=April 2019}} She was voted into office a second time in 2008 with over 740,000 votes.{{cite news|title=Thailand Interview - Rosana Tositrakul Senator Elect|newspaper=Thai Press Reports|date=March 4, 2008|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8544830210&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8544830216&cisb=22_T8544830215&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=227171&docNo=5|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130208111144/http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8544830210&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8544830216&cisb=22_T8544830215&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=227171&docNo=5|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 8, 2013|accessdate=February 11, 2010}}{{failed verification|date=April 2019}} In 2019, she announced her intention to contest in the 2022 Bangkok gubernatorial election as an independent candidate.
Early life and education
Rosana graduated from secondary school from Mahaprutharam Girls' School and a bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Thammasat University in 1974.
Activist work
After graduating from Thammasat University, Rosana formed the NGO "Traditional Medicine for Self-Curing", later renamed the "Thai Holistic Health Foundation". She spent a year studying with Masanobu Fukuoka, the developer of natural farming, and helped introduce organic farming to Kut Chum District, Yasothon Province. She studied medicinal plants in the district and helped form the "Natural Medication and Herb Interest Group" there.{{cite journal|last=Parnwell|first=Michael J.G.|year=2005|title=The Power to Change: Rebuilding Sustainable Livelihoods in North-East Thailand|journal=Journal of Transdisciplinary Environmental Studies|volume=4|issue=2|pages=1–21|publisher=Department of East Asian Studies, University of Leeds|place=UK|issn=1602-2297|url=http://www.journal-tes.dk/vol_4_no_2/NO4_MI_l.PDF}}
Rosana worked for many years as a women's rights activist{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/09/rosana-tositrakul-cronyism-women-thai-politics|newspaper=The Guardian|title=Rosana Tositrakul: 'There's cronyism among women in Thai politics'|author=Kate Hodal|date=February 9, 2014|accessdate=November 20, 2014|archivedate=September 12, 2014|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912205150/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/09/rosana-tositrakul-cronyism-women-thai-politics}} for the Thai Health Foundation, calling for the resignation of Rakkiat Sukthana on corruption charges. She also called for the resignation of Purachai Piumsomboon over a supposed cover-up of the spread of bird flu in Thailand.{{cite news|title=Activists tell govt to come clean|newspaper=The Nation|date=January 23, 2004|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8544830210&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8544830216&cisb=22_T8544830215&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=220765&docNo=6|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141120233412/http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8544830210&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8544830216&cisb=22_T8544830215&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=220765&docNo=6|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 20, 2014|accessdate=February 12, 2010}}{{failed verification|date=April 2019}}{{cite news|title=THAIHEALTH: Activists demand axe for Purachai| newspaper=The Nation|date=August 16, 2004|url=http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/THAIHEALTH-Activists-demand-axe-for-Purachai-104260.html|access-date=February 12, 2010|archive-date=November 20, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120223431/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/THAIHEALTH-Activists-demand-axe-for-Purachai-104260.html}}
She represented a coalition of over 30 NGOs in an appeal against a government plan to establish special economic zones around Thailand.{{cite news|title=NGOs: What about the others?|newspaper=The Nation|date=October 29, 2003|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8544830210&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8544830216&cisb=22_T8544830215&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=220765&docNo=10|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127210437/http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8544830210&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8544830216&cisb=22_T8544830215&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=220765&docNo=10|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 27, 2013|accessdate=February 12, 2010}}{{failed verification|date=April 2019}}{{cite news|title=Special Economic Zones: Monks and NGOs say no|newspaper=The Nation|date=February 6, 2005|url=http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/SPECIAL-ECONOMIC-ZONES-Monks-and-NGOs-say-no-111767.html|access-date=February 12, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120223703/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/SPECIAL-ECONOMIC-ZONES-Monks-and-NGOs-say-no-111767.html|archive-date=November 20, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{nonspecific|date=April 2019}}
She is an Independent candidate in the 2022 Bangkok gubernatorial election.{{Cite news |date=13 May 2022 |title=Chamlong backs Rosana for governor |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2309078/chamlong-backs-rosana-for-governor |access-date=16 May 2022 |website=Bangkok Post}} but not elected {{Cite web|last=|date=2022-10-20|title=เช็คผลเลือกตั้งผู้ว่าฯกทม. 22 พ.ค. "ชัชชาติ" ที่ 1 ตรวจคะแนนทุกเบอร์ ที่นี่! |url=https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/politics/1005835|website=กรุงเทพธุรกิจ|language=th}}
Religious views
Rosana Tositrakul has stated she has no political leanings. Instead, she advocates what she calls an "engaged" form of Buddhist feminism.{{cite news|url=http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=9,6722,0,0,1,0|last=Sukrung|first=Karnjariya|title=Walking the Path|publisher=The Buddhist Channel|work=Bangkok Post|date=June 28, 2008|accessdate=February 12, 2010|archivedate=July 8, 2008|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708211701/http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=9,6722,0,0,1,0}}
Royal decorations
- 2014 - 70px Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) Order of the White Elephant.The Royal Thai Government Gazette, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150702074424/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2557/B/027/1.PDF ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือกและเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย ประจำปี 2557], เล่ม 131 ตอนที่ 27 ข หน้า 7, 3 ธันวาคม 2557
- 2022 - 70px Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) Order of the Crown of Thailand.The Royal Thai Government Gazette, [https://web.archive.org/web/20220214131226/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2565/B/BE001/1.PDF ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือกและเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย ประจำปี 2564], เล่ม 139 ตอนพิเศษ 1 ข หน้า 66, 14 กุมภาพันธ์ 2565
- 2015 - 70px Companion (Fourth Class) Order of the Direkgunabhorn.The Royal Thai Government Gazette, [https://web.archive.org/web/20151223123122/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2558/B/032/1.PDF ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่สรรเสริญยิ่งดิเรกคุณาภรณ์ ประจำปี 2558], เล่ม 132 ตอนที่ 32 ข หน้า 27, 4 ธันวาคม 2558
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tositrakul, Rosana}}