BANGKOK: Thailand’s new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of controversial billionaire ex-premier Thaksin, vowed to boost the kingdom’s sluggish economy as she formally took office on Sunday.

Paetongtarn, at 37 the kingdom’s youngest-ever PM, comes to power after a court sacked the previous premier and disbanded the main opposition party, throwing Thailand’s ever-febrile political scene into a new round of turmoil.

She is the third Shinawatra to be prime minister, but will hope to avoid the fate of her father and aunt Yingluck, both of whom were thrown out of power in military coups.

Paetongtarn accepted King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s official written command to form a government in a ceremony at the headquarters of a former pro-Thaksin TV station on Sunday. She called on all Thais to work together to help revitalise the country’s economy, which has struggled to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.

She will hope to avoid the fate of her father and aunt, both thrown out of office by military coups

“As head of the government I will work with parliament with an open heart, open to all ideas to help develop the country,” she said after the ceremony.

“Fellow Thais, this duty cannot be done by the prime minister alone. I hope I will be able to coordinate the power of all generations, all talented people in Thailand — from the cabinet, the coalition, civil servants, private sector and the people.” Thaksin, 75, was a prominent attendee at the ceremony, standing alongside Paetongtarn’s husband in the front row.

“She has to work hard. Her strong point is that she is young, she can ask anyone for help — she is humble,” Thaksin told reporters after the ceremony. “Twenty-three years ago she was standing behind my back but today I was standing behind her.”

Paetongtarn heads a coalition government led by her Pheu Thai party — the latest incarnation of the political movement founded by her father in the early 2000s — but including some pro-military groups long opposed to Thaksin.

Political tussle

Her elevation to the top job came about after the Constitutional Court sacked previous premier Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday for breaching ethics rules by appointing a cabinet minister with a criminal conviction.

Thailand has been dominated for more than 20 years by a tussle for dominance between Thaksin and his allies and the kingdom’s conservative pro-military, pro-royalist elite.

Parties linked to the former telecoms tycoon and one-time Manchester City owner have repeatedly won elections, only to find their governments upended by coups and court rulings.

Paetongtarn is a relative newcomer, running the hotel arm of the family business until late 2022 when she entered politics ahead of last year’s general election — where Pheu Thai was unexpectedly beaten into second place by the upstart progressive Move Forward Party (MFP).

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2024