Thailand: Ex-leader’s daughter chosen as youngest ever prime minister
Pheu Thai party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces a baptism of fire as she takes over as Thailand’s youngest prime minister at a time of economic struggle.
The daughter of Thailand’s former prime minister has been chosen by parliament as the new leader – becoming the youngest ever at the age of 37.
The appointment of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of billionaire and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, will also become the country’s second female prime minister and the fourth in her family to take on the role after her father, her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra, and her uncle Somchai Wongsawat.
It comes just two days after her ally Srettha Thavisin was dismissed as premier after less than a year in office after a court ruled he violated ethical standards.
Ms Shinawatra received warm greetings and applause from members of her ruling Pheu Thai party – the largest in the country’s current coalition – before delivering her first speech after the parliament vote.
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Speaking from her party’s office in Bangkok, she admitted she was very excited and very “honoured and happy”.
She thanked members of parliament for their votes and said: “I really hope that I can make the people feel confident, that we can build the opportunity and the quality of life.
“I hope that I can do my best to make the country go forward.”
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It will be a baptism of fire for Ms Shinawatra as she takes over the reins of the country during a difficult time for its economy.
Thailand is currently facing weak exports and consumer spending, sky-high household debt and more than a million small businesses unable to access loans.
The influence of her father, who after being ousted by a military coup in 2006 remains one of Thailand’s most popular, albeit divisive political figures, has helped his daughter gain the support needed to lead.
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When Ms Shinawatra was on the campaign trail for Pheu Thai, she acknowledged her family ties but insisted she was not just her father’s proxy.
“I am my dad’s daughter, always and forever, but I have my own decisions,” she said.
However, her father’s shadow is too big to be dismissed and her work will not be easy with him continuing to call political shots for Pheu Thai, according to Petra Alderman, a political research fellow at England’s University of Birmingham.
“Thaksin was a political force to reckon with, but he was also a liability,” she said, adding: “He has a tendency to overplay his political hand, so serving in his shadow has never been easy.”
