Thailand’s parliament elected Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the country’s youngest-ever prime minister on Friday (16), just a day after she was thrust into the spotlight amid a relentless power struggle among the country’s elites.
The country’s new prime minister is the 37-year-old daughter of politician Thaksin Shinawatra. She was approved in a vote in the lower house and now faces a baptism of fire, just two days after ally Srettha Thavisin was removed from office.
She will become Thailand’s second female prime minister and the third Shinawatra to hold the post, after her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra and father Thaksin, the country’s most influential and polarizing politician.
At stake for Paetongtarn could be the legacy and political future of the billionaire Shinawatra family, whose once unstoppable populist power suffered its first electoral defeat in more than two decades last year and had to strike a deal with its military enemies to form a government.
In her first media comments as prime minister-elect, Paetongtarn said she was saddened and confused by Srettha’s resignation and decided it was time to take over.
“I spoke to Srettha, my family and people in my party and decided it was time to do something for the country and the party,” she told reporters.
“I hope I can do my best to move the country forward. That’s what I’m trying to do. Today I’m honored and I feel very happy,” she added.
Paetongtarn easily won with 319 votes, or nearly two-thirds of the House. His reaction after his victory was to post on Instagram a photo of his lunch – chicken and rice – with the caption: “First meal after hearing the vote.”
Paetongtarn has never served in government and the decision to put her in play is a throw of the dice for the populist Pheu Thai party and its 75-year-old leader Thaksin.
She will immediately face challenges on several fronts, with the economy struggling, competition from a rival party growing and Pheu Thai’s popularity waning as it has yet to deliver on its flagship $14.25 billion cash handout program.
Source: CNN Brasil
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