

Thailand
Pongpisit Huyakorn
Pongpisit Huyakorn is an urban studies expert and advocate for inclusive, resilient cities that uplift marginalized communities. As the founder and director of the Urban Studies Lab (USL) since 2018, Pongpisit leads initiatives focused on urban poverty alleviation and participatory governance. Witnessing firsthand how inadequate housing impacts health and well-being cemented his commitment to addressing systemic inequities in urban policies and environments. Under Pongpisit’s leadership, USL has secured over $2 million in project funding, influenced more than 30 urban policies, and improved the lives of over 200,000 people. Notable achievements include contributing to participatory budgeting in Bangkok, with a 92 percent approval rate, and scaling a housing renovation program six times faster than government efforts. Through the Urban Poverty Alleviation Initiative, USL piloted 19 interventions targeting 5,000 vulnerable households, achieving a 14x Social Return on Investment on average. This work led to Housing for All, a national research project addressing systemic housing issues in Thailand’s major cities. Pongpisit also serves on advisory boards and co-designs data-driven tools to map urban vulnerabilities and health & wellbeing disparities. As a Fellow in the Equity Community, he seeks to co-create scalable solutions for urban inequalities and deepen his understanding of health equity.