Bangkok: Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was appointed as the country’s new Prime Minister on Friday, August 16 after she won 247 votes from the 493 members of parliament earning a majority to pass the vote.
This makes the 37-year-old leader the country’s youngest leader ever. The appointment comes after the ouster of former PM Srettha Thavisin by the Constitutional Court two days ago over an ethics violation. The Constitutional Court found Thavisin guilty of a serious ethical breach regarding his appointment of a Cabinet member who was jailed over an alleged bribery attempt.
Paetongtarn, leader of the ruling Pheu Thai party, was the sole nominee and got a majority of the votes in Parliament with the voting ongoing.
Who is Paetongtarn Shinawatra?
Born in 1986 in Bangkok, Paetongtarn Shinawatra is a Thai politician and businesswoman who recently became Thailand’s youngest leader. She is the daughter of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and Potjaman Na Pombejra.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Sociology and Anthropology from the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University and an MSc degree in International Hotel Management from the University of Surrey.
As of 2022, she holds a total of 21 companies valued at approximately 68 billion baht.
The Pheu Thai Party leader was elected as “Head of the Pheu Thai Family” in 2022. Furthermore, speaking at the Pheu Thai Party’s annual general meeting, she asserted that she wants to see regime change in the country and wants to gain more experience before standing for the post of prime minister.
Thaksin is one of Thailand’s most popular but divisive political figures. Despite being ousted, he is seen as a de facto leader of Pheu Thai.
Many speculate his influence is a factor behind the political support for Paetongtarn. However, denying any such claim, Paetongtarn said, “It’s not the shadow of my dad. I am my dad’s daughter, always and forever, but I have my own decisions. Thaksin was a political force to reckon with, but he was also a liability. He tends to overplay his political hand, so serving in his shadow has never been easy.”
(Inputs from AP)
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