Thai lawmakers elect Shinawatra heiress as PM

BANGKOK - The 37-year-old daughter of billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra became Thailand's prime minister Friday, the third member of the influential but divisive clan to lead the country.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra -- the youngest leader in Thailand's history as a constitutional monarchy and the second woman premier after her aunt Yingluck -- assumes office after two court rulings that threw the kingdom's politics into turmoil.

She will hope to avoid the fate of her father and aunt, both of whom were ousted as PM by the army during a two-decade power struggle between Thaksin and the kingdom's conservative pro-military, pro-royalist establishment.

Lawmakers approved Paetongtarn of the Pheu Thai party as premier by 319 votes to 145, House of Representatives Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said on live TV.

Paetongtarn said she was "very honoured and happy".

"I really hope that I can make people feel confident. I hope to improve the quality of lives and empower all Thais," she told reporters.

"I decided that it's about time to do something for the country and the party. I hope that I can do my best to make the country go forward."

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet -- like Paetongtarn, the child of a previous premier -- sent congratulations.

Court rulings

Paetongtarn's elevation to the top job came about after the kingdom's Constitutional Court sacked previous premier Srettha Thavisin for appointing a cabinet minister with a criminal conviction.

Srettha's ouster on Wednesday in a case brought by army-appointed former senators was the latest round in the long-running scrap between the Thai elite and populist parties linked to Thaksin, a telecoms tycoon and one-time Manchester City owner.

Paetongtarn helped run the hotel arm of the family's business empire before entering politics in late 2022, and she was a near-constant presence on the campaign trail during last year's general election.

That vote saw the upstart progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) win the most seats after pledging to review the country's strict lese-majeste laws and break up powerful business monopolies.

But conservative senators -- all appointed by the last junta -- blocked MFP's attempt to form a government.

Pheu Thai subsequently struck an alliance with pro-military parties once staunchly opposed to Thaksin and his followers, leading to Srettha's ascension.

Less than a year later, he became the third Pheu Thai prime minister to be kicked out by the Constitutional Court.

Srettha was ousted over his appointment of Pichit Chuenban, a former lawyer associated with Thaksin's family who had a corruption-related conviction.

Last week, the top court also voted to dissolve MFP and ban its executive board members from politics for 10 years, though the party swiftly relaunched itself as the People's Party.

Long shadow

Political analyst Prinya Thaewanarumitkul of Thammasat University told AFP Paetongtarn will have to be careful not to be seen as too much under her father's influence.

The 75-year-old has cast a remarkable shadow over the kingdom's politics for more than two decades.

He transformed Thai politics in the early 2000s with populist policies that won him and his party enduring loyalty from the rural masses -- and two elections.

But that success came at a cost: he was despised by Thailand's powerful elites and conservative establishment, who saw his rule as corrupt, authoritarian and socially destabilising.

Ousted as prime minister by the army in 2006, Thaksin went into exile two years later but never stopped commenting on national affairs -- or meddling in them, according to his critics.

He returned to the country last year on the very day that Srettha became prime minister.

Thaksin was swiftly jailed on graft and abuse of office charges dating back to his time in power but was released early, fuelling rumours of a backroom deal.

Aside from tussling with the establishment, Paetongtarn faces a tough task in revitalising a sluggish economy which has struggled to bounce back since the Covid-19 pandemic.

"All Thais want is for the economic crisis to be solved, and if she and her government do well at that, she and her party will be able to compete with the People's Party in the next election," analyst Prinya told AFP. - AFP