By Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the 37-year-old daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was appointed as Thailand’s youngest ever prime minister on Friday, August 18, 2024. The head of the ruling Pheu Thai party secured nearly two-thirds of the parliament’s support in a landmark vote.
“I really hope that I can make people feel confident, that we can build opportunity and quality of life,” Paetongtarn stated at a post-vote news conference. “I hope that I can do my best to make the country go forward.”
Paetongtarn faces immediate challenges, including a struggling economy and declining party popularity. Her appointment comes days after her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was removed by a constitutional court order for appointing a lawyer convicted of bribery to his cabinet in April.
As Thailand’s second woman prime minister and the third leader from the Shinawatra family, Paetongtarn has acknowledged her family ties while asserting her independence. “It’s not the shadow of my dad. I am my dad’s daughter, always and forever, but I have my own decisions,” she stated during her campaign.
Political experts, however, suggest that Thaksin Shinawatra’s influence remains significant. Petra Alderman, a political research fellow at the University of Birmingham, noted, “Thaksin was a political force to reckon with, but he was also a liability. He has a tendency to overplay his political hand, so serving in his shadow has never been easy.”
Paetongtarn’s political journey began in 2021 when she led an inclusion advisory committee for Pheu Thai. She became party leader in 2023 after being named one of its prime ministerial candidates.
The Pheu Thai party, linked to Thaksin, has won all national elections since 2001 until losing to the reformist Move Forward in 2023. However, it formed a government after Move Forward was blocked from power, joining with parties affiliated with the military government that previously ousted it.
As Paetongtarn takes office, she faces the task of delivering on her party’s flagship cash handout program and navigating complex political dynamics. Her leadership will be closely watched as Thailand enters a new chapter under its youngest prime minister.
