Paetongtarn Shinawatra was officially confirmed as Thailand’s prime minister by the king on Sunday, August 18, following her election by parliament two days earlier. This sets the stage for her to form a new Cabinet in the coming weeks.

 

 

At 37 years old, Paetongtarn is Thailand’s youngest prime minister, succeeding Srettha Thavisin, who was removed by the Constitutional Court, an institution often at the centre of the country’s ongoing political unrest. Paetongtarn is the daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, a prominent and polarizing political figure, and she secured the position after receiving 319 votes in the House of Representatives, making her Thailand’s second female prime minister and the third member of the Shinawatra family to hold the office, following her father and aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.

 

 

The king’s approval, a formal requirement, was announced during a ceremony in Bangkok by the House Secretary, Apat Sukhanand. Paetongtarn, dressed in official attire, knelt before a portrait of King Vajiralongkorn to pay her respects and delivered a brief speech expressing gratitude to the king and parliament. She emphasized her commitment to working with legislators openly and listening to all viewpoints to ensure the country progresses with stability.

 

 

Despite her lack of previous government experience, Paetongtarn faces significant challenges, including a struggling economy and declining support for her Pheu Thai Party, which has yet to fulfil its promise of a 500 billion baht (approximately $14.46 billion) digital wallet program.

 

 

After receiving the royal endorsement, Paetongtarn embraced her father and family members. In her initial press conference, she pledged to continue the policies of her predecessor, Srettha, focusing on economic stimulus, drug enforcement, healthcare improvement, and promoting gender diversity. She reaffirmed her commitment to the digital wallet policy, although she intends to review it to ensure fiscal responsibility.

 

 

Paetongtarn stated she has no plans to appoint her father, Thaksin, to any government position but will seek his counsel. She also mentioned that her government’s policies will be presented to parliament next month.

 

 

The recent dismissal of Srettha after less than a year in office serves as a warning of the risks Paetongtarn faces in a political environment characterized by coups and court rulings that have repeatedly disrupted governments. The Shinawatra family’s political legacy and future are also at risk, as their once-dominant influence suffered a setback in the last election, forcing them to collaborate with their long-time adversaries in the military to form a government.

 

 

Recent events suggest a breakdown in the fragile agreement between Thaksin and the royalist establishment. This facilitated his return from 15 years of self-exile in 2023 and Srettha’s brief tenure as prime minister. A week earlier, the court that removed Srettha also disbanded the Move Forward Party, which had won the 2023 election, over its campaign to amend a royal defamation law, arguing it threatened the constitutional monarchy. The popular opposition party has since reorganized under a new banner, the People’s Party.

 

 

Source: CNA