Paetongtarn Shinawatra Becomes Thailand’s Prime Minister at 37
Bangkok – Thailand’s parliament has selected Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, as the country’s new prime minister, making her the youngest person and the second woman to hold the position. At 37, she follows in the footsteps of her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra, who also served as prime minister before being ousted by a coup.
Paetongtarn, who leads the Pheu Thai Party, was elected just two days after her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was dismissed by the constitutional court. Both leaders are from Pheu Thai, which, despite placing second in the 2023 election, successfully formed a ruling coalition.
With 319 votes in favor and 145 against, Paetongtarn now faces the challenging task of revitalizing Thailand’s struggling economy while navigating the nation’s turbulent political landscape. Over the past two decades, four administrations led by her party have been deposed by military coups or court rulings.
In her first comments as prime minister, Paetongtarn acknowledged the significant challenges ahead. “I really hope that I can make people feel confident that we can build opportunities and improve the quality of life for all Thais,” she said, visibly moved by the occasion.
Paetongtarn, who has been in the political spotlight since joining Pheu Thai in 2021, brings a fresh energy to Thailand’s leadership. Educated in elite Thai schools and at a university in the UK, she previously worked with her family’s Rende hotel group before fully entering politics.
Her rise to power also marks the return of the Shinawatra family to Thailand’s top office, continuing a political legacy that began with her father, Thaksin, in 2001. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 military coup and returned to Thailand last October after 15 years in exile.
Paetongtarn’s appointment is seen by many as a strategic move to revive Pheu Thai’s fortunes, though it comes with the risk of further political instability. Her father and aunt were both removed from power by military coups, and with the constitutional court’s recent dismissal of Srettha, there are concerns history could repeat itself.
“I am neither the best, nor the most talented one in the room,” Paetongtarn admitted, “but I have a strong will and a good team… We share the same ideas, and that’s something I value highly.”
Her appointment also signals the ongoing influence of Thaksin, despite recent warnings from the constitutional court, which has been interpreted as a message to the former prime minister to temper his political ambitions.
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