Heir to a dynasty – Thailand has a new head of government (37)

Paetongtarn is the daughter of billionaire former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the niece of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Both were in power for several years but were then removed from power in military coups and went into exile. However, the family still has many supporters in the highly politicized kingdom.

Paetongtarn, who studied in Britain, among other places, is only the second woman to lead the Southeast Asian country after her aunt. The ruling coalition nominated her as the only candidate on Thursday. On Friday morning (local time), she eventually won the vote in parliament with a clear majority.

Predecessor deposed
Former Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri (75) was previously considered a top candidate. But it is not said that he is in the best of health. On Wednesday, Thai Prime Minister Screttha Thavisin (62) was removed from office by the Constitutional Court for an alleged violation of professional ethics. He is said to have appointed a convict as a minister.

Democracy movement suppressed
Over the past decades, Thailand has seen repeated coups, military governments and street protests by its democracy movement. Just last week, under pressure from conservative forces, the Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) – the de facto winner of the May 2023 parliamentary elections. The party is particularly popular among young Thais and lobbyists seeking a relaxation of the strict law of majesty.