Thailand’s parliament has elected Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of billionaire tycoon and former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, as the country’s new prime minister. At 37, she is not only Thailand’s youngest PM but also the second woman to hold the office, following her aunt Yingluck. Her appointment follows the recent dismissal of former PM Srettha Thavisin by a constitutional court. Both Paetongtarn and Srettha are members of the Pheu Thai Party, which came second in the 2023 election but managed to form a ruling coalition.
Paetongtarn faces the significant challenge of revitalizing Thailand’s stalled economy while navigating the turbulent political landscape that has seen four previous Pheu Thai administrations deposed by military coups or court rulings. After the vote on Friday, Paetongtarn expressed her determination to build opportunities and improve the quality of life for all Thais, acknowledging her own nerves and excitement. She also humbly recognized that while she may not be the most talented, she is supported by a strong, experienced, and determined team.
Receiving 319 endorsements and 145 votes against, Paetongtarn becomes the fourth member of the Shinawatra family to serve as prime minister in the past two decades. Her father, Thaksin, and her aunt, Yingluck, were both ousted by military coups or constitutional court rulings. Paetongtarn was visibly emotional about the recent dismissal of Srettha, who was removed from office for appointing a former lawyer with a criminal record to his cabinet. Despite the setback, she felt compelled to step up for the party and the country after discussing the matter with Srettha and her family.
Paetongtarn, who was educated in Thailand and the UK, joined Pheu Thai in 2021 and became party leader in October 2023. Her rise to leadership has brought new energy to Thailand’s political scene, and many within the Pheu Thai Party are hopeful that she can help restore its fortunes. Her father, Thaksin, first became prime minister in 2001, but his tenure ended abruptly in 2006 following a military coup. He returned to Thailand after 15 years in exile last October, coinciding with Srettha’s appointment as PM.
The political landscape in Thailand remains volatile, with the constitutional court’s dismissal of Srettha seen as a warning to Thaksin to curb his ambitions. Paetongtarn’s aunt, Yingluck, also experienced a similar fate, winning a landslide victory in the 2011 election only to be disqualified by the courts and ousted by a military coup. Paetongtarn’s leadership during the Pheu Thai campaign in the 2023 election, while she was in the final stages of her pregnancy, won her widespread admiration. She emphasized the need for better politics and solutions for Thailand, rather than repeated coups. The dissolution of the Move Forward Party earlier this month by the constitutional court and the ban on 11 of its leaders from politics for a decade, further underscores the fragile state of Thai politics.
