Thaksin's daughter is new Thai PM

Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra has secured majority votes in Parliament today to become Thailand’s 31st prime minister.

The 37-year-old who led the largest party in the 11-member ruling coalition is the youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The populist Pheu Thai Party, affiliated with Thaksin, had only one candidate for prime minister - Paetongtarn.

Paetongtarn (above), a political newcomer, received 319 votes; 145 voted against, while 27 abstained.

On that count, she passed the threshold of 247 votes needed to become prime minister and form the next government.

She was backed by a Pheu Thai-led coalition of 11 parties, including two military-linked rivals: Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the United Thai Nation (UTN).

The coalition holds 314 of the 493 parliamentary seats - nearly two-thirds.

The election began at 11.30am local time and concluded at 12.30pm.

The kingdom’s youngest premier succeeded Srettha Thavisin, who was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday.

Paetongtarn, born on Aug 21, 1986, in Bangkok, is the youngest child of Thaksin and Khunying Potjaman Damapong.

She completed her secondary education at St Joseph Convent School and Mater Dei School before obtaining a bachelor’s degree in political science from Chulalongkorn College in 2007.

In 2008, she continued her studies at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, majoring in international hospitality management.

She entered politics officially in 2021 when she was introduced as the party’s chief adviser for participation and innovation during Pheu Thai’s annual general meeting.

In 2023, Paetongtarn was elected as the new Phew Thai leader without opposition during the party’s general meeting in Bangkok.

- Bernama

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