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Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: traditional Chinese: pinyin: Lin Mingda, born 7 November 1947) is Thai media-mogul and leader of the right-wing People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). Starting his career as a journalist, he later founded Manager Daily newspaper as well as satellite broadcaster ASTV. Originally a strong supporter of Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, he later became a leader of the anti-Thaksin movement.

Sondhi founded Manager Daily in 1982 after several ventures in publishing. He used the newspaper as his personal mouthpiece and used the proceeds to build a publishing, broadcasting, and telecommunications empire. As of 1996, he had over USD 600 million in assets. His business faced a meltdown following the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997, forcing him into bankrupcy and sparking investigations into irregular inter-company transactions. Immediately following the crisis, Sondhi furiously attacked the Democrat-led government over its management of the economic recovery. After the election of Thaksin Shinawatra as Prime Minister in 2001, several of Sondhi's associates became leaders in the new government. His banker, Viroj Nualkhair, became president of state-owned Krung Thai Bank and gave over a billion baht in debt forgiveness to Sondhi, allowing him to emerge from bankrupcy. Sondhi became a vocal supporter of Thaksin, calling him "the best prime minister our country has ever had."[1]

In 2005, Viroj Nualkhair was fired from KTB after incurring over 40 billion baht in problem loans. Sondhi's started criticizing Thaksin using various media under his control, including satellite broadcaster ASTV. He founded the People's Alliance for Democracy, aimed at overthrowing the Thaksin government. The PAD dissolved after a military coup against Thaksin, but after Thaksin-affiliated parties won a post-coup election, the PAD reformed and renewed protests. In 2008, he and the PAD forces seized and barracaded themselves inside Government House.
ref :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sondhi_Limthongkul