Pao Sarasin was the son of former Prime Minister of Thailand Pote Sarasin and his wife, Thanpuying Siri Sarasin. He was one of three brothers, including Pong Sarasin and Arsa Sarasin. Pao Sarasin graduated from Vajiravudh College, a boarding school in Bangkok. He then moved to the United States, where he received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University and a second bachelor's degree from the University of California in criminology.
