Paetongtarn Shinawatra, scion of Thailand’s most prominent political dynasty, has been officially endorsed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn to become the country’s new Prime Minister, CNN reports.
The appointment comes after a tumultuous week in Thai politics, which saw the Constitutional Court oust her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, from the same Pheu Thai party.
At 37 years old, Paetongtarn becomes Thailand’s youngest ever Prime Minister and the second woman to hold the position, following her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra. She is the daughter of ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, whose economic and populist policies have shaped Thai politics for the past two decades.
King Vajiralongkorn’s approval was formally announced on Sunday by the secretary of the House of Representatives at Pheu Thai headquarters in Bangkok. Paetongtarn, kneeling in homage to a portrait of the King, expressed her gratitude and pledged to serve with “loyalty and honesty.”
Source: Royal Thai Government
She is expected to appoint her cabinet, consisting of 35 ministers, who will then take their oaths of office before the King. The new government, Paetongtarn said, will continue to push a soft-power initiative that promotes Thailand’s historical and contemporary cultures, as well as tourism.
Addressing concerns about her appointment being seen as a return of the Shinawatra dynasty, Paetongtarn emphasized her independence and her own ideas. While acknowledging that she may seek advice from her father, she stressed that Thaksin will not hold any role in the administration.
Paetongtarn pledged to prioritize national issues and cooperate with all parties. “No one wants to repeat what happened to my father and my aunt,” she said, referencing the past political turmoil that has plagued the Shinawatra family.
Thaksin, who returned from self-imposed exile in August 2022, has been a divisive figure in Thai politics. His economic and populist policies, while popular with many, have also attracted criticism from the country’s conservative establishment, a powerful group of military, royalist, and business elites.
Pheu Thai, the party allied with Thaksin, has frequently faced challenges from this establishment, leading to coups and court decisions that have ousted previous Shinawatra-backed governments.
