Anwar congratulates Thaksin's daughter on appointment as Thai PM

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has offered his heartiest congratulations to Paetongtarn Shinawatra upon her election as Thai premier.

Paetongtarn (above) is the daughter of former prime minister Thaksin, and niece of another ex-premier Yingluck, and is making history as the youngest-ever Thai prime minister and the second woman to hold the office.

“As close neighbours, Malaysia and Thailand share a vital and enduring partnership, forged on long-standing historical, cultural, and economic links as well as deep-rooted kinship.

“The common pursuit of peace and development in southern Thailand offers profound benefits for communities on both sides of our border,” said Anwar in a brief message on social media.

“I look forward to working closely with Prime Minister Paetongtarn to unlock the full potential of our bilateral relationship.

He further expressed his appreciation to “dear friend” and former prime minister Srettha Thavisin, for the latter’s visionary leadership in strengthening the bonds between the two nations.

Officially endorsed

This morning Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Paetongtarn as the country’s 31st prime minister.

The 37-year-old Paetongtarn received King Vajiralongkorn’s written royal command at a ceremony held at the Pheu Thai headquarters on Sunday morning, two days after being elected by Parliament.

She paid her respects to the portrait of King Vajiralongkorn as a symbolic gesture of accepting the royal command.

Paetongtarn arrived at the ceremony around 8.20am, accompanied by her father, Thaksin, and members of Thailand’s acting cabinet.

Thaksin returned to Thailand on Aug 22 last year after a 15-year self-imposed exile after he was handed down a prison sentence for misdeeds committed while in office.

On the day of his arrival in Thailand, the Supreme Court sentenced the former prime minister to eight years in prison.

However, he received a royal pardon yesterday and was freed today.

Paetongtarn succeeds Srettha, who was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the same court dissolved the hugely popular opposition Move Forward Party, which came in first in the last election but was squeezed out of power.

The court ruled that its campaign to reform the law against insulting the crown risked undermining the constitutional monarchy, and the party has since regrouped under a new banner.

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