On Friday, the Thai parliament passed a bill appointing Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the nation’s youngest prime minister, elevating a further member of the most well-known and contentious political family in the kingdom to the position.
Two days prior to the vote to install the 37-year-old daughter of deposed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s Constitutional Court had unexpectedly removed another prime minister from office, casting further political uncertainty over the country and igniting new worries about the deterioration of democratic rights.On Friday, the Thai parliament passed a bill appointing Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the nation’s youngest prime minister, elevating a further member of the most well-known and contentious political family in the kingdom to the position.
Two days prior to the vote to install the 37-year-old daughter of deposed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s Constitutional Court had unexpectedly removed another prime minister from office, casting further political uncertainty over the country and igniting new worries about the deterioration of democratic rights.“I will do my best in this position,” she said.
A political newcomer, Paetongtarn was one of three prime ministerial candidates for Pheu Thai ahead of national elections in May last year and made international headlines when she gave birth just two weeks before the vote. Her appointment adds another twist to a years-long saga that has shaken up Thailand’s already-turbulent political landscape. Srettha’s dismissal on Wednesday was the latest blow to the Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai, which has frequently run afoul of Thailand’s conservative establishment – a small but powerful clique of military, royalist and business elites.
Political parties allied to Thaksin have struggled to hold on to power, having been forced out due to coups or court decisions. Paetongtarn’s aunt was removed from office before the military seized power in a 2014 coup, and her father went into self-imposed exile in 2006 for more than 15 years to escape corruption charges after the military toppled his government. Her uncle Somchai Wongsawat was briefly prime minister in 2008 but was removed in a court ruling.
In navigating a febrile political atmosphere while heading an 11-member coalition, Paetongtarn also inherits a host of challenges, including fixing Thailand’s sluggish economy and reviving Pheu Thai’s sliding popularity. The party’s flagship digital wallet cash handout scheme has faced multiple delays and it’s unclear to what extent she will continue Srettha’s key economic policies. Thaksin, a telecoms billionaire and former owner of Manchester City Football Club, returned to Thailand from exile in August last year.
He has retained an outsized grip on Thai politics and many saw him as continuing to influence the Pheu Thai party – firstly through his sister Yingluck and now through his daughter. Thaksin’s dramatic return coincided with the Senate’s vote to appoint Srettha as the country’s 30th prime minister. Experts believe Thaksin struck a deal with the Thai establishment for his return and Srettha’s appointment, a claim he denies. In a stunning about-face to win that vote, Pheu Thai joined with its former military rivals and became head of a multi-party governing coalition. The progressive Move Forward Party, which pulled off a shock election victory last year with its hugely popular reform agenda, was prevented from forming a government and forced into opposition.
Source:Here
