About us
The Southeast Asia Public Policy Institute is a research institute based in Singapore and Bangkok, working across Southeast Asia, one of the world’s most dynamic regions.
Our mission
Our mission is to support the development of solutions to the most pressing public policy challenges facing Southeast Asia in the 21st century.
The Institute undertakes in-depth research to develop actionable policy solutions, aimed at policymakers looking to move the needle on key issues.
We convene dialogues with stakeholders and decisionmakers to drive discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing markets across the region.
The Institute is founded on the premise that direct connection and candid, informed dialogue is crucial for both policymakers and business leaders operating in the region’s rapidly changing economic and public policy landscape.
Meet the team
Executive Director
Ed Ratcliffe
Executive Director of the Southeast Asia Public Policy Institute
Background
Ed has more than 15 years’ experience in public policy and government affairs. He started his career in Brussels, advising businesses on engagement with the EU institutions, and on European public policy and legislation. He subsequently moved to Hong Kong where he led regional public affairs and legislative work in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Ed was Country Director for a regional government relations firm in Myanmar before establishing an advisory practice with an Asia-focused think tank in London. He was most recently Head of Public Affairs at the UK’s technology business association, driving government engagement on tech policy for 1000 tech firms.
Role
Ed leads a team of policy analysts, researchers, advisors and partner institutions across the region.
POLICY PROGRAMME MANAGER
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Natthakit Krityothin
Policy Programme Manager
Natthakit is a Bangkok-based Policy Programme Manager at the Southeast Asia Public Policy Institute, where he leads the development of programmes focused on digital policy, sustainability, and the circular economy. His work includes conducting field research, producing policy briefs and publications, and collaborating with project partners and key stakeholders.
Before joining the Southeast Asia Public Policy Institute, Natthakit spent over seven years as a public policy consultant at Bolliger & Company. In this role, he managed teams and conducted in-depth research across various domains, including digital transformation, foreign direct investment, environmental policy, and industry analysis. His portfolio at the time included collaborative initiatives with multiple Thai government agencies, including the Board of Investment, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, and the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning. This first-hand experience has imbued him with a deep understanding of the economic and social dynamics underpinning Thailand’s policymaking landscape.
Natthakit holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Chulalongkorn University and a Master’s degree in Economics for Development from the University of Oxford.
Jirada Phetlam
Policy Programme Manager
Jirada Phetlam is a former international development practitioner with a specialised focus on the digital economy and anti-human trafficking across Southeast Asia. In her previous role as Activity Coordinator for the $4.5 million USAID Regional Inclusive Digital Ecosystem (RIDE) programme, Jirada was responsible for bringing together stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as broader civil society, to advance initiatives aimed at strengthening policy environments and fostering innovative collaboration on critical issues such as ethical AI, digital inclusion, digital democracy, and cybersecurity.
Prior to her role at RIDE, Jirada served as a Digital Technology Programme Manager for the Digital Asia Accelerator, a $5 million regional initiative by USAID, the Digital Asia Accelerator, and as Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Officer for the $10 million USAID Thailand Counter Trafficking in Persons programme. During her tenure in leadership, she oversaw a $450,000 microfinance project supporting women in rural Myanmar, as well as the rollout of a $600,000 regional challenge designed to bridge the digital gender divide across Southeast Asia.
Jirada holds a first-class honours bachelor’s degree in Social and Cultural Theories from Chulalongkorn University, along with two master’s degrees, namely an MA in Cultural Management from Chulalongkorn University and an MSc (Merit) in Gender from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where she studied as a Chevening Scholar.
Bhumpat Ngamyingsanga
Policy Programme Manager
Bhumpat Ngamyingsanga is a Policy Programme Manager at the Southeast Asia Public Policy Institute (SEAPPI). His work focuses on platform regulation—both cross-country comparative frameworks and national-level reforms in Southeast Asia—examining how rules governing digital platforms affect innovation, business competitiveness, and regional economic integration. He also leads and contributes to SEAPPI’s work on regional responses to online scams, ASEAN energy transition and clean-technology policy, and broader macro-economic and political analysis shaping Southeast Asia’s development and strategic positioning.
Prior to joining SEAPPI, he served as a Researcher in Geopolitics at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), contributing to policy papers on Thailand’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Pillar 4 and designing Thailand’s science diplomacy strategy. He also provided geopolitical briefings on global election cycles and U.S.–China economic tensions.
Bhumpat holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Chicago.
Advisory board
Hans W. Vriens
Chair
Marzuki Darusman
Senior Advisor, Indonesia
Isra Sunthornvut
Senior Advisor, Thailand
Manu Bhaskaran
Senior Advisor, Singapore
Melissa Brown
Senior Advisor
Southeast Asia Public Policy Network
The Southeast Asia Public Policy Network is a network of think tanks and policy institutes across the region. These organisations are centres of expertise on policy in their markets and across ASEAN. The Institute works with these organisations to deliver in-depth insights and host policy dialogues.
