Two Thais have earned places on the Time100 Next list, which honours some of the world’s most influential “rising stars.” The 2025 edition features politician Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and golfer Jeeno Thitikul, recognised for their impact in very different arenas.
According to Time magazine, honourees are divided into five categories: Artists, Phenoms, Innovators, Advocates and Leaders.
Jeeno, ranked as the world’s top female golfer at just 22 years old, was named in the Phenoms category, while Mr. Natthaphong, 38, the leader of the People’s Party, was placed in the Leaders section.
A short profile on Mr. Natthaphong described Thailand’s political shifts as “two steps forward and one step back,” tracing his path to the top job in the country’s largest political party.
The former technology executive became party leader last year after the Constitutional Court dissolved Future Forward and Move Forward, banning their leaders from politics.
“The constitutional court’s ousting of [Former prime minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra] in August means fresh elections are looming, and many young Thais hope that Natthaphong can make the leap to the country’s top job,” Time noted.
Mr. Natthaphong told the magazine his mission is clear. “Our vision is to reform politics, the economy, and reduce social inequality,” he said. “We have to bring full democracy to our country.”
While Natthaphong was recognised for his political influence, Jeeno Thitikul was celebrated for her remarkable rise in sport.
She competed earlier this year at the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament in Chon Buri and continues to dominate the global golfing stage.
The Ratchaburi-born golfer reached the No. 1 ranking in the Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings in 2025, leading nearly every major statistical category in the game.
Since joining the LPGA Tour in 2022, she has collected five tournament victories and an astonishing 52 Top 10 finishes, with career earnings already nearing $13 million.
To honour her inclusion, Time invited fellow golfer Lydia Ko, a Hall of Fame inductee at just 28 and currently ranked third in the world, to write about her friend and rival.
“Most professional golfers are really good at one thing. For some, it’s their long game or iron shot, for others, it’s putting or chipping. But for Jeeno Thitikul, it’s everything,” Ko wrote.
“She motivates me to be a better player, and I feel lucky to be able to play alongside her.”
