The youngest daughter of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra (37), who is also the leader of the Pheu Thai Party, is expected to become the next Prime Minister of Thailand. This comes after the previous Prime Minister, Setthawut Thaweesin, was impeached by the Thai Constitutional Court for corruption involving bribery allegations. The decision highlights that the conservative royalist party still exerts influence in Thailand even after the removal of tainted officials.
Paetongtarn, leading the coalition government under the Pheu Thai Party, is set to be voted on as the Prime Minister by the parliament on the 16th. Sola-wang Tienthong, the Secretary-General of the Pheu Thai Party, stated, “She has the support of over 300 out of 500 members of the lower house from 11 allied parties.”
As the youngest child among Thaksin’s three children, Paetongtarn is the most influential figure from the Shinawatra family that dominated Thai politics. If elected, she will become the third Prime Minister from the Shinawatra family, following her father and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra, and the second female Prime Minister in Thailand’s history.
Paetongtarn, who entered politics by joining the Pheu Thai Party in 2021, is widely known by the nickname ‘Ing’ and is expected to become the youngest Prime Minister in Thai history.
The Pheu Thai Party, effectively controlled by Thaksin and his family, secured support from Thailand’s largest conservative royalist party by negotiating to bring back their former leaders, ending years of exile and returning them to Thailand.
Paetongtarn’s appointment signifies continuity in the policies initiated by the Shinawatra administration. The ousted government focused on promoting growth through loose fiscal policies and addressing high living costs and record household debts. She advocated for lower interest rates and criticized the central bank for being an “obstacle” in solving the country’s economic issues.
These political upheavals in Thailand demonstrate the continued influence of the royalist party in power.
Paetongtarn, an alumnus of Sorbonne University, is a key figure in the Shinawatra empire, involved in a wide range of businesses from golf courses and real estate to hotels and telecommunications. She is the largest shareholder, holding a 28.5% stake, in the real estate company SC Asset Corp Pcl.
She also serves as the CEO of the hotel business group owned by her younger sister, Pinthongta Shinawatra Kunkongmongkol, with the Rende development company, citing the luxurious Rosewood Hotel in Bangkok as a major project.
Before assuming the Prime Minister’s position, Paetongtarn must comply with the provisions of the blank trust regulation under Thai law, which entails relinquishing any business roles.