Bangkok: Paetongtarn Shinawatra, at 37 years old, has been appointed as Thailand’s youngest prime minister following a decisive parliamentary vote on Friday. The daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn secured the majority needed to take office in the midst of ongoing political turmoil, just a day after her ally, Srettha Thavisin, was ousted by the judiciary.
This development highlights the intense power struggle within Thailand’s political sphere, with Paetongtarn now stepping into a role fraught with challenges. Despite her lack of prior government experience, she is now the second woman and third member of the Shinawatra family to lead the nation. Her rise to power is seen as a crucial moment for the Shinawatra dynasty, which has been a central force in Thai politics for decades but recently faced its first election defeat in over 20 years.
Paetongtarn’s new position comes with significant challenges, including a struggling economy and declining support for her Pheu Thai Party, which has yet to fulfill its promise of a 500 billion baht ($14.25 billion) cash handout program. The abrupt removal of Srettha, who served less than a year, underscores the hostile political environment she now confronts—a landscape marked by coups, judicial interventions, and the disbanding of political parties.
The ongoing conflict between populist movements like those led by the Shinawatras and a coalition of royalists, military officials, and conservative elites continues to shape Thailand’s political future. The recent dissolution of the anti-establishment Move Forward Party, the winner of the 2023 election, further complicates the political scene.
Paetongtarn’s unexpected ascent to the premiership has surprised many, as it was anticipated that her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, would delay her political involvement to avoid the fate that befell him and his sister Yingluck, both of whom were ousted by military coups and fled the country to avoid legal consequences.
Hope political unrest in Thailand will put in order under her leadership.
Such a dynamic leader she is.