Ex-PM’s Daughter Becomes Thailand’s Youngest Leader

Daughter of billionaire and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn, has been chosen to serve as country’s new prime minister.

Paetongtarn, daughter of billionaire and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, At 37, became Thailand’s youngest prime minister and the second woman to hold the position, following in the footsteps of her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn’s appointment comes just days after the dismissal of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin by the constitutional court.

Both leaders hail from the Pheu Thai Party, which, despite finishing second in the 2023 elections, managed to form a ruling coalition.

She now faces the daunting task of reviving Thailand’s sluggish economy while navigating the turbulent political waters that have seen four previous Pheu Thai administrations overthrown by military coups or judicial rulings.

On Friday, Paetongtarn secured 319 votes in favor and 145 against, making her the fourth Shinawatra family member to hold the prime ministerial office in the past two decades.

Her father, Thaksin, and her aunt, Yingluck, were both ousted by military coups or constitutional court decisions. The same court that dismissed Thavisin on Wednesday had previously removed her family members from power.

After being nominated as the prime ministerial candidate, Paetongtarn expressed her respect for Srettha’s work, stating, “I admired Mr Srettha’s work and thought his dismissal was unfortunate.”

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Educated at prestigious institutions in Thailand and the UK, Paetongtarn spent several years working in the family’s Rende hotel group before joining Pheu Thai in 2021. By October 2023, she had risen to the position of party leader.

Paetongtarn’s leadership is seen as a potential rejuvenation for Thailand’s top political ranks, and members of Pheu Thai are hopeful she can restore the party’s influence.

Thaksin, who first became prime minister in 2001, was ousted in 2006 by a military coup. After 15 years in exile, he returned to Thailand last October, just hours before Srettha was appointed prime minister.

Thaksin’s return was part of a larger political agreement involving former conservative opponents, now coalition partners with Pheu Thai.

However, his legal troubles persist, including charges of insulting the monarchy under Thailand’s controversial lese majeste law. The court’s recent decision to remove Srettha is widely viewed as a signal for Thaksin to temper his political ambitions.

Yingluck Shinawatra, Paetongtarn’s aunt, won the 2011 election in a landslide but was later disqualified by the courts, and her government was ousted in a military coup. She now lives in exile.

Paetongtarn’s tenure will be closely watched as she navigates the complex and often volatile political landscape that has defined her family’s legacy.

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Stephen Jesuwale

Jesuwale Stephen is a journalist who finished from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism. He is a distinctive writer, media strategist and also a Digital Marketer