Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s nomination for Thai PM reopens family dynasty

Partners in Thailand’s ruling bloc agreed Thursday to nominate Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to replace Srettha Thavisin, who was ousted by court order as PM a day earlier. 

The 11 parties in the coalition led by the Pheu Thai Party met to discuss candidates for the prime minister’s post, but decided to consolidate the nomination around Paetongtarn, 37. She would be the third Shinawatra to lead the government if MPs approve her nomination in a parliamentary vote on Friday.

“Of course, the country must move forward. Today, we are ready to push the country forward,” said Paetongtarn, a leader of Pheu Thai who is nicknamed “Ung Ing.” “I have confidence in the Pheu Thai Party and all the coalition parties will help lead our country out of the economic crisis.” 

She spoke to journalists after Surawong Thienthong, the party’s secretary-general, announced late Thursday afternoon that coalition members had agreed to her nomination. 

Friday’s vote is necessary because the Constitutional Court on Wednesday removed Srettha from office, ruling he had violated ethics by knowingly appointing a minister to his cabinet who had been jailed in 2008 on charges of bribing a court official.

Coalition members announced their support for Paetongtarn, who, if elected, would become Thailand’s second female prime minister and continue her family’s dynasty in Thai politics. 

Besides her father, Thaksin, who was forced from office by a military coup in 2006, her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, also served as prime minister and was forced out by a similar coup in 2014. In addition, Thaksin’s brother-in-law, Somchai Wongsawat, served as prime minister in 2008 before being forced from office by a Constitutional Court ruling.

“We are united in a decision to let the Pheu Thai Party lead the coalition government and to nominate a suitable person for the prime minister position. The Pheu Thai Party has informed all coalition parties that it will nominate Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister tomorrow, and we are very pleased to fully support her,” said Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, a partner in the coalition. 

Announcing the Palang Pracharath Party’s endorsement, Santi Promphat, the deputy leader, said the military-aligned party was confident Paetongtarn had the knowledge and capabilities to lead Thailand’s next government.

Paetongtarn must receive 247 votes from the sitting 493 lower house MPs to be elected prime minister. The Pheu Thai-led coalition has 312 members – far more than the required number.

Support not universal

A leader of the new People’s Party, however, announced his group’s opposition to the nomination. 

The party came into existence last week after the Constitutional Court ordered that the Move Forward Party be dissolved and 11 of its leaders be banned from politics for a decade. Two days later, its remaining members reconstituted as the People’s Party.

“We will continue to perform our duties as the opposition party without participating in the vote because it is the duty of the coalition parties. Even though the People’s Party cannot propose a person to hold the position of prime minister under its own party, I am ready to come in and serve as the leader of the opposition in the House of Representatives,” said Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, the party’s leader.

In the 2023 general election, the Move Forward Party won 153 seats – the most of any party – and nominated Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister. 

His nomination failed when he could not secure backing from the former Senate, whose 250 members were allowed to vote along with the 500 members of the lower house. The senators claimed they would not support his party’s proposal to reform the law against royal defamation, known as lèse-majesté.

Maintain power

Analyst Thanaporn Sriyakul, director of the Institute of Political Analysis and Policy, said the nomination was clearly aimed at Pheu Thai maintaining power.

“The coalition parties obviously want to continue to be a government led by the Pheu Thai Party. The big boss [Mr. Thaksin] will never let another party be the prime minister,” Thanaporn told BenarNews.

“However, even with Ung Ing sitting as prime minister, the policies of the previous administration will expire and the new government must deliver their own set of policies. It is the right of the new government to adjust as they see fit.”

He also said he did not expect Paetongtarn, if elected, to face the same fate that befell her father and aunt anytime soon.

“I still think that Thai politics is unlikely to reach a dead end, because if the old prime minister leaves, a new one will be selected. If the people are really fed up, they will dissolve the parliament and let the people vote again. Another coup is implausible,” he said. 

Paetongtarn, Thaksin’s youngest daughter, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from Chulalongkorn University and received a master’s degree in international hotel management from Surrey University, England.

Before entering politics, Paetongtarn served as chief executive officer of the hotel business group Rende Development Co. Ltd., and a director of a subsidiary company, as well as a major shareholder of SC Asset Corp. Plc. 

She began working in the Pheu Thai Party as chief adviser on participation and innovation and head of the Pheu Thai Family Foundation in October 2021.

“Even though Paetongtarn is new to the political arena, she is from a family of politicians and a daughter of the former prime minister. Therefore, with the knowledge of politics and her background, coupled with being a new generation of politicians, she can be a capable prime minister who can lead the country,” said Suwat Liptapanlop, chairman of coalition member Chart Thai Pattana Party.

Paetongtarn is one of several candidates nominated ahead of the 2023 general election who are eligible to succeed Srettha as prime minister.  

Other candidates are Chaikasem Nitisiri from Pheu Thai; Anutin Charnvirakul from the Bhumjaithai Party; Prawit Wongsuwan from the Palang Pracharath Party; former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha and Pirapan Salirathavibhaga from the United Thai Nation Party; and Jurin Laksanawisit from the Democrat Party.

Prayuth is on the list even though he announced his retirement from politics last year.