Thailand’s parliament elected Paetongtarn Shinawatra as Prime Minister, continuing a political dynasty that began with her father Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thaksin, a former prime minister, was ousted in a military coup in 2006, triggering decades of deep political divisions. Paetongtarn appears to be the beneficiary of a deal her father struck with his old conservative opponents, allowing her populist party to come to power, pushing aside a more progressive party that came out on top in last year’s election.
She became the third Thai leader from the Shinawatra family after her billionaire father, who returned from exile last year, and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra living in exile. Paetongtarn is also Thailand’s second female prime minister after her aunt and the country’s youngest leader at 37.
I am my dad’s daughter, always and forever, but I have my own decisions.
As the only candidate, she was approved with 319 votes in favour, 145 against, and 27 abstentions. Paetongtarn is the leader of the Pheu Thai Party. She is also not an elected legislator as this is not required for her to run for prime minister.
I really hope that I can make people feel confident, that we can build opportunity and quality of life. I hope that I can do my best to make the country go forward.
Paetongtarn’s nomination followed the ouster of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin of Pheu Thai on Wednesday after less than a year in office. The Constitutional Court found him guilty of a serious ethical breach over his appointment of a cabinet member who had been jailed in connection with an alleged bribery attempt.
Political bargain
It was the second major ruling in a week to shake Thai politics. Last week, the same court dissolved the progressive Move Forward Party, which won last year’s general election but was blocked from taking power. However, the party has already regrouped into the People’s Party.
Pheu Thai and its Thaksin-linked predecessors won every national election since 2001 until it lost to the reformist Move Forward in 2023. However, Pheu Thai was given a chance to form a government after the previous military-appointed Senate prevented Move Forward from coming to power.
Thaksin returned to Thailand last year after years in exile on the same day Srettha was approved by the lower and upper houses. The move was seen as part of a political bargain between Pheu Thai and their long-time rivals in the conservative establishment to prevent Move Forward from forming a government.
