Lai was educated at the Hong Kong Baptist University where he was a captain of the university's rowing team. He was named the best newcoming athlete by the Hong Kong Amateur Rowing Association in 1995.
From 2016 to 2019, Lai was the vice chairman of the Wong Tai Sin District Council. He was also appointed member of the Administrative Appeals Board and Hong Kong Consumer Council.[4][5]
Lai ran in the Legislative Council elections in 2008, 2012 and 2016 with the DAB ticket as a minor candidate in Kowloon East, successfully helped Chan Kam-lam and Wilson Or to be elected to the legislature respectively. In the 2020 Legislative Council election after incumbent Wilson Or abruptly decided not to seek for re-election, Lai was nominated by the DAB to succeed Or in Kowloon East.
