[BANGKOK] Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, scion of the kingdom’s most prominent political dynasty, faces an abrupt end to her short career freighted with a family history of power, protests and coups.
The 38-year-old accepted King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s command to form a government last August, barely two years after she entered politics.
The country’s youngest premier and the third Shinawatra to hold the role, Paetongtarn has been heading an uneasy coalition between her Pheu Thai party and a group of conservative, pro-military parties.
After her largest backer, the Bhumjaithai party, pulled out its 69 lawmakers late on Wednesday, Paetongtarn has barely enough votes for a parliamentary majority and other key allies are holding urgent talks today.
The split was prompted by her leaked call about a border dispute with Cambodian former leader Hun Sen. Critics accused her of being too deferential to the Cambodian elder statesman and badmouthing Thailand’s military.
Thailand has seen a dozen coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932 and the military still wields considerable influence, with politicians usually careful not to antagonise them.
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Paetongtarn’s father and aunt’s terms as prime minister both ended with the army seizing power in a tussle between the family and Thailand’s pro-royalist, pro-military elite.
Daughter, mother
The current Pheu Thai-led government has already lost one prime minister, former businessman Srettha Thavisin, who was kicked out by a court order last year, bringing Paetongtarn to office.
She helped run the hotel arm of the ultra-rich family’s business empire before entering politics in late 2022.
Despite being pregnant, she was a near-constant presence on the campaign trail for 2023’s election, regularly leading rallies in the stifling tropical heat.
She gave birth to a son just two weeks before polling day, hailing the baby as her “secret power” and swiftly getting back to canvassing.
But the vote proved a disappointment, as Pheu Thai finished second.
It was the first time a Shinawatra party was beaten in a national vote, but they triumphed eventually as Srettha took power in alliance with pro-military parties formerly opposed to Paetongtarn’s dynasty.
Pheu Thai members voted overwhelmingly in October 2023 for Paetongtarn to become party leader and vowed to rejuvenate its image.
Energy, youth
Born in Bangkok on August 21, 1986, Paetongtarn is the third and youngest child of Thaksin Shinawatra, a police officer turned telecoms tycoon who revolutionised Thai politics in the early 2000s, winning two elections before being ousted in a coup in 2006.
Known in Thailand by her nickname Ung Ing, she grew up in Bangkok and studied hotel management in Britain.
In 2019, she married commercial pilot Pidok Sooksawas, celebrating with two glitzy receptions – one in the Thai capital, and one in Hong Kong attended by her father, then in self-exile.
The couple now have two children, who feature regularly in playful photos Paetongtarn posts on her social media accounts, where she has more than a million followers.
In Thailand’s political scene, long dominated by strait-laced elderly men, Paetongtarn’s youth and energy stand out – her taste for vibrant designer clothes marking a striking contrast to the staid suits and uniforms of her rivals.
But her efforts to avoid being seen as too much under the influence of her father – who critics among Thai elites have long suspected of effectively running Pheu Thai from afar – seem to be cracking.
In the past, Paetongtarn has said she is still Thaksin’s “little girl” and draws strength from his support and guidance.
In the controversial phone call with veteran leader Hun Sen – a close ally of Thaksin – she referred to a Thai army commander as her opponent, a remark that sparked fierce criticism on social media. AFP
