37-Year-Old Billionaire Paetongtarn Shinawatra Becomes Thailand’s New Prime Minister

Ms. Shinawatra’s educational background is as impressive as her political rise. She graduated from Chulalongkorn University and later pursued studies in international hotel management at the University of Surrey in England.

Bangkok, Thailand — Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a 37-year-old billionaire heiress and daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has been elected as Thailand’s new Prime Minister, marking a historic moment in the nation’s political landscape.

Her selection comes despite her lack of prior elected office, underscoring her rapid rise to prominence.

Ms. Shinawatra, affectionately known as Aw Ung Ing, was chosen by the Pheu Thai party to succeed Prime Minister Srettha Thaksin, who was ousted after a scandal involving the appointment of a cabinet member with a criminal conviction.

With Pheu Thai and its allies controlling 314 seats in parliament, she secured the necessary majority, demonstrating her growing influence in Thai politics.

A former hotel executive, Ms. Shinawatra spent the past three years transitioning from managing her family’s hotel empire to leading a vigorous political campaign.

Despite the challenges of balancing her career and family life, including her recent pregnancy with her second child, she maintained a strong presence on the campaign trail during the 2023 elections.

Ms. Shinawatra’s educational background is as impressive as her political rise. She graduated from Chulalongkorn University and later pursued studies in international hotel management at the University of Surrey in England.

In a March 2022 interview, she reflected on her shift from the hotel industry to politics, stating, “My passion is a hotel, but after having a child, my thinking changed. I want to make the country livable for my children.”

Her political journey is closely tied to her father’s legacy. Thaksin Shinawatra, a former Prime Minister, was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and later went into exile amid corruption charges. Despite his absence, his influence remains strong within the Pheu Thai party, which has consistently dominated Thai elections.

As the youngest of Thaksin’s three children, the new Prime Minister is now poised to lead Thailand into a new era, with her leadership expected to redefine the nation’s future.