Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been nominated for the position of Thailand’s prime minister in a parliamentary vote on Friday by Pheu Thai party secretary general Sorawong Thienthong. This nomination follows the recent removal of former prime minister Srettha Thavisin by a Constitutional Court order.
To secure the role, Paetongtarn must win the approval of more than half of the 493 current lawmakers, supported by a ruling coalition that holds 314 seats.
The 37-year-old Paetongtarn, daughter of the influential and controversial Thaksin Shinawatra, is poised to face significant challenges. Her candidacy represents not only her personal political debut but also the future of the Shinawatra family’s political legacy. The family, once dominant in Thai politics, experienced its first electoral defeat in over 20 years last year and has since had to negotiate with its military adversaries to form a government.
Paetongtarn’s challenges are compounded by a struggling economy and declining popularity of the Pheu Thai Party, which has yet to deliver on its ambitious 500 billion baht ($14.25 billion) cash handout program.
If elected, Paetongtarn will become Thailand’s second female prime minister and the third member of the Shinawatra family to hold the position, following her aunt Yingluck and her father Thaksin, a highly polarizing figure in Thai politics.
After securing backing from an 11-party alliance, Paetongtarn has called for patience from the public, promising to implement Pheu Thai’s economic policies effectively. She stated, “It has only been one year … I will push all the Pheu Thai policies for success. We are determined and ready to push the country forward.”
The political climate remains hostile, with the recent downfall of Srettha highlighting the turbulent environment Paetongtarn must navigate. Thailand’s political scene has been marked by frequent coups, court rulings, and the dissolution of political parties, contributing to a climate of instability.
The recent court decision that dismissed Srettha and dissolved the Move Forward Party—a key anti-establishment force—reflects ongoing conflicts between populist parties and conservative, royalist elements within the establishment. This upheaval underscores the precarious position of the Shinawatras and their allies.
Paetongtarn’s nomination at this critical juncture has surprised many analysts, who had anticipated that Thaksin might delay his family’s political ambitions to avoid exposing Paetongtarn to the intense conflicts that led to previous downfalls within the family.
