Mumbai, August 16: The National Assembly of Thailand on August 16, 2024, unanimously elected 37-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra as their new and 31st Prime Minister, making her the youngest person in Thailand's history in the position. With her appointment, Paetongtarn Shinawatra also became the second female to serve as the Prime Minister of Thailand after her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn's selection came just two days after the dismissal of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin by a constitutional bench. Thavisin's party, the Pheu Thai party nominated Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the successor. Her nomination was confirmed by 319 votes in favour, with 145 against and 27 abstentions, in the Parliament on August 16 after no other coalition parties named other alternatives for the position.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra's Election as Prime Minister 

Who Is Paetongtarn Shinawatra?

Daughter of billionaire tycoon and former Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra was born on August 21, 1986. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Political Science, Sociology, and Anthropology from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in 2008, and later completed her MSc from the University of Surrey in England. She is also a businesswoman, holding the spot of the No. 1 shareholder of SC Asset Corporation. Shinawatra reportedly has holdings in 21 companies worth 68 billion baht. She is also director of the Thaicom Foundation. Thailand To Get New PM: Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Daughter of Former Thai Prime Minister, To Be Nominated As New PM After Srettha Thavisin Removed From Office Over Ethics Violation.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra's political career started when she joined the Pheu Thai Party in April 2021. She was soon elected as Head of the Pheu Thai Family on March 20, 2022. She was nominated as one of the three prime-ministerial candidates in April 2023. While running for the post, she also acknowledged her father's legacy while establishing her own path, saying to the media, "It’s not the shadow of my dad. I am my dad’s daughter, always and forever, but I have my own decisions."

Shinawatra's Election and Vision for Thailand

After the 2023 Thailand General Elections in May 2023, the Pheu Thai Party followed the Move Forward Party, securing the second-highest number of seats in the house. Consequently, a coalition was formed between the two, and Shinawatra suggested bringing the Palang Pracharath Party, led by General Prawit Wongsuwan, into the coalition government. Later when Srettha was elected Prime Minister by the Parliament, Shinawatra was chosen as the Deputy Chairperson of the National Health System Development Committee. Joe Biden Warns Xi Jinping Against Working With Russia, Says ‘China Will Face Consequences for Helping Russia in Its War Against Ukraine’.

On her nomination as the Prime Minister after Srettha's ousting, Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University observed that she is "prime minister material". The Associated Press reported  Pongsudhirak as saying, "She connects with the electorate, the base. She also has, I think, some talent that may have been inherited from her father in terms of going out on stump speeches, connecting with voters, speaking in front of large crowds, and running a campaign, while being pregnant. She is definitely prime minister material."

As Prime Minister of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces the gruelling task of reviving Thailand's declining economy, avoiding the military coups as seen in the past in her family's history at the top position, and unwarranted court interventions that have affected the Pheu Thai.

"All we have to do is to work together to change the country’s leadership," said Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as reported in AP.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2024 09:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).