ArticlesWorld

Thailand Elects Youngest Prime Minister in History

Paetongtarn Achieves Victory with 319 Votes, Capturing Almost Two-Thirds of Parliamentary Support

On Friday, Thailand’s parliament elected Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a political newcomer, as its youngest prime minister. Her election came just a day after she was thrust into the spotlight amid ongoing power struggles among the country’s elite.

At 37, Paetongtarn, the daughter of the influential and controversial Thaksin Shinawatra, won with 319 votes, nearly two-thirds of the house. She is stepping into a challenging role just two days after her ally, Srettha Thavisin, was removed from office by a judiciary central to Thailand’s prolonged political instability.

The stakes are high for Paetongtarn, as her tenure will impact the legacy and future of the Shinawatra family. The family’s populist movement, once dominant for over two decades, faced its first election defeat last year and had to negotiate with military rivals to form a government.

Paetongtarn, who has never held a government position, will be Thailand’s second female prime minister and the third Shinawatra to occupy the role, following her aunt Yingluck and her father Thaksin, a highly influential and polarizing figure in Thai politics.

Despite winning the vote, Paetongtarn was not present in parliament and watched the proceedings from Pheu Thai’s headquarters. She will now confront multiple challenges, including a struggling economy and a declining popularity of her party, which has yet to deliver on its promised 500 billion baht ($14.25 billion) cash handout program.

The United States has reacted to the detention of military officers in Pakistan.

The recent dismissal of Srettha, after less than a year in office, underscores the kind of hostility Paetongtarn might encounter. Thailand’s political landscape remains tumultuous, marked by frequent coups and judicial interventions that have repeatedly disrupted political parties and governments.

The Shinawatras, along with their business allies, have been at the center of this crisis, which pits popular parties against a powerful coalition of conservatives, wealthy families, and royalist generals with significant influence in key institutions.

Nine days prior, the same court that removed Srettha also dissolved the Move Forward Party, the 2023 election winner, over a campaign to amend a law against insulting the crown, which was seen as threatening the constitutional monarchy. This party has since formed a new opposition group.

The recent upheaval suggests a breakdown in the delicate truce between Thaksin and his establishment and military rivals, which had allowed Thaksin’s return from 15 years of self-imposed exile in 2023 and enabled Srettha to become prime minister.

The decision to elevate Paetongtarn at such a critical moment has surprised many analysts, who had anticipated that Thaksin might delay his dynasty’s return to avoid exposing Paetongtarn to the conflicts that led to his and Yingluck’s ousting and exile following military coups.

Follow us on our social media platforms here: Twitter  WHATSAPP CHANNEL FACEBOOK PAGE

Related Articles

Back to top button

Adblock Detected

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker