Foreign Policy - Young billionaire heiress takes over Thailand
Thailand is getting its second female prime minister in history: Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the 37-year-old chair of the ruling Pheu Thai party and heir to a wealthy dynasty, was elected by a clear majority in parliament on Friday morning (local time). She will become the youngest prime minister ever in the Southeast Asian kingdom.
The election comes just two days after the dismissal of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin by the Constitutional Court. Paetongtarn is a member of the well-known Shinawatra clan: she is the daughter of billionaire and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the niece of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Both had been in power for several years before being ousted by military coups and going into exile. However, the family still has many supporters in the strongly polarized kingdom.
Only candidate
Paetongtarn, who has studied in Britain among other places, is only the second woman to lead the country, after her aunt. She was already seen as a rising star in Thai politics during the 2023 parliamentary elections and even campaigned while heavily pregnant. She will turn 38 next week.
The coalition government, which has a comfortable majority in parliament, nominated Paetongtarn as its only candidate on Thursday. The nomination came as a surprise after former justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri (75) had been mentioned as the leading candidate. However, there had been speculation that the politician was not in the best of health. According to reports, a meeting of the party leadership took place at the Shinawatra residence in Bangkok.
Paetongtarn's father, one of the richest men in the country, had been in self-imposed exile since 2008. He only returned to Thailand in August last year. In June, he was charged with lese majeste. Thaksin remains an influential figure despite many legal problems.
Coups and court rulings
The predecessor of the new prime minister, Srettha (62), was removed from office on Wednesday as part of a lawsuit. Dozens of conservative senators accused the prime minister of violating ethical rules by appointing a minister with a criminal record. The Constitutional Court agreed - much to the surprise of many. Political observers say this is the fifth time a Pheu Thai-led government has been removed by a coup or a court ruling.
In recent decades, Thailand has seen several military coups, military governments, and street protests by the democracy movement. Just last week, the Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) - the actual winner of the May 2023 parliamentary elections - under pressure from conservative forces. The party, which was popular among young Thais and advocated for a reform of the strict lese majeste law, was sidelined by Pheu Thai and forced into opposition. A reform of the law, which provides for long prison sentences in case of violation, remains a taboo. After its dissolution, the MFP recently re-registered under a new name: People's Party (PP/Volkspartei).
Paetongtarn's election as prime minister highlights the continued influence of the Shinawatra family in Thai politics, given their history of leadership in foreign policy matters. Under Yingluck's premiership, for instance, the family championed closer ties with China and other regional powers.
Following her election, it remains to be seen how Paetongtarn's foreign policy will differ from her predecessors and aunt, particularly in relation to the sensitive issues of lese majeste and political freedoms in Thai society.
