National Chung Hsing University
Lai taught at the College of Law and Business, National Chung Hsing University (now National Taipei University) from 1981 to 1984. After that, he took up various government posts in the Ministry of Finance. In October 2000 during the first term of President Chen Shui-bian, he became the Vice Premier under Premier Chang Chun-hsiung. He was succeeded by Lin Hsin-i in February 2002.