Tipakson Manpati has been working on the environmental issue in the Mekong region for over 10 years. She has Bachelor degree in Mass Communication from Chiang Mai University and Master degree in International Development Studies from Chulalongkorn University. Tipakson is from an ethnic Phutai community in the Kalasin Province of Northeastern Thailand, and speaks Phutai, Lao, Thai, and English.