Bangkok: Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister on Sunday, two days after her election by parliament. This endorsement paves the way for her to form a cabinet in the coming weeks.
At 37, Paetongtarn is Thailand’s youngest prime minister, following the recent dismissal of her ally Srettha Thavisin by the Constitutional Court—a body central to Thailand’s turbulent political landscape over the past two decades. Paetongtarn, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, won nearly two-thirds of the vote in the House of Representatives on Friday. She becomes Thailand’s second female prime minister and the third Shinawatra to hold the office, following her father Thaksin and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.
The royal endorsement, a formality, was announced by House of Representatives Secretary Apat Sukhanand during a ceremony in Bangkok. Dressed in official uniform, Paetongtarn paid homage to a portrait of the king before delivering a brief speech of thanks. “As head of the executive branch, I will do my duty with an open heart,” she said. “I will listen to all opinions so together we can advance the country with stability.”
Paetongtarn, who has not held a government position previously, faces significant challenges, including a struggling economy and dwindling popularity of her Pheu Thai party. The party has yet to implement its flagship digital wallet scheme worth 500 billion baht ($15 billion). After receiving the royal endorsement, Paetongtarn embraced her father Thaksin and other family members.
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In her first press conference, Paetongtarn committed to continuing the policies of her predecessor Srettha, including major economic stimulus, drug enforcement, healthcare improvements, and gender diversity promotion. She confirmed that her government will maintain the digital wallet policy but will explore additional options to ensure fiscal responsibility. “The goal is to stimulate the economy, so this intention remains,” Paetongtarn stated.
She also noted that she has no plans to appoint her father to any government position but will seek his advice. Details of her government policies will be presented to parliament next month.
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The fall of Srettha after less than a year underscores the precarious nature of Thai politics, marred by coups and court rulings that have dismantled political parties and toppled multiple governments. The recent upheaval reflects a breakdown in the fragile truce between Thaksin and his rivals in the royalist establishment, which had facilitated Thaksin’s return from 15 years of self-exile and Srettha’s premiership.
The court that removed Srettha also dissolved the anti-establishment Move Forward Party, which had won the 2023 election, due to its campaign to amend a royal insult law. The popular opposition, Pheu Thai’s main challenger, has since regrouped under the new People’s Party.
