Leader of Pheu Thai Party, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, wave before press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
The Pheu Thai Party has announced that it will nominate Paetongtarn Shinawatra as its candidate for Prime Minister to succeed Srettha Thavisin, who was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday.
Paetongtarn, 37, the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was elected as the Pheu Thai leader last October. If elected by parliament during a special session today (Friday), she would become Thailand's 31st and youngest-ever Prime Minister, the second female to hold the position, and the third Shinawatra family member to do so, following her father Thaksin and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.
The press conference announcing her nomination was attended by government coalition leaders who expressed their support, making her political future appear assured. "We are confident that we will work together to help the country move past its economic problems and advance into the future," Paetongtarn said, thanking both the public and the coalition government parties for their support.
Initially, a meeting of government whips at Thaksin's residence had agreed to nominate Chaikasem Nitisiri, 76, as their candidate. However, a meeting of Pheu Thai MPs today decided to nominate Paetongtarn instead.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also expressed his full support for Paetongtarn. "All the parties in the coalition government show their spirit in working together to ensure continuity in running the country," said Anutin, whose Bhumjaithai Party is the second biggest partner in the coalition. His endorsement is crucial.
Paetongtarn, nicknamed "Ung-ing," was born in the United States on August 21st, 1986, to Thaksin and Potjaman Na Pombejra. She has a bachelor's degree in political science from Chulalongkorn University and a master's in international hotel management from the University of Surrey in England reported Thai PBS.
Before her political career, she was a major shareholder in SC Asset Corporation and held shares in around 20 other companies in real estate, telecom, and media sectors. She has experience as the chief executive of Rende Development Co. Ltd.
Married to airline pilot Pidok Sooksawas, with whom she has two children, Paetongtarn was recently appointed as deputy chair of two national committees, on soft power strategy and public health system development, under Srettha's government.
-- 2024-08-16
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