Paetongtarn Shinawatra Becomes Thailand’s Youngest Prime Minister at 37

Thailand's parliament has selected Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the 37-year-old daughter of billionaire tycoon and former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, as the country's new prime minister. This historic decision makes her the youngest person to ever hold the office and only the second woman to do so, following in the footsteps of her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn's appointment comes just two days after the dismissal of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin by a constitutional court. Both Paetongtarn and Thavisin are prominent figures in the Pheu Thai Party, which, despite coming second in the 2023 election, managed to form a ruling coalition.

As prime minister, Paetongtarn faces the formidable challenge of reviving Thailand’s economy, which has been stagnant for years, and steering clear of the military coups and court interventions that have historically plagued her family’s political legacy. Over the past two decades, four Shinawatra-led administrations, including those of her father Thaksin and her aunt Yingluck, have been deposed either by military action or court rulings.

On Friday, Paetongtarn secured her position as prime minister with 319 endorsements, with 145 votes against her. She is now the fourth member of the Shinawatra family to assume the prime ministership, a legacy that speaks to the enduring influence of the Shinawatras in Thai politics.

The constitutional court’s decision to dismiss Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday was linked to his appointment of a former lawyer, who had previously been jailed, to his cabinet. This ruling is widely seen as a signal to Thaksin Shinawatra to curb his political ambitions, even as his daughter steps into the role of prime minister.

Paetongtarn’s selection is not only a victory for the Shinawatra family but also injects new energy into Thailand's top leadership. Members of the Pheu Thai Party hope that her leadership will help revitalize the party’s political fortunes.

Educated at elite schools in Thailand and a university in the UK, Paetongtarn spent several years working in the Shinawatra family's Rende hotel group, where her husband holds the position of deputy chief investment officer. She joined the Pheu Thai Party in 2021 and was appointed party leader in October 2023.

Her father, Thaksin, first became prime minister in 2001, but his second term was abruptly ended by a military coup in 2006. After spending 15 years in exile, he returned to Thailand last October, just hours before Srettha Thavisin was voted into office as prime minister.

Thaksin’s return was part of a broader agreement with his old conservative rivals, who are now in coalition with the Pheu Thai Party. Despite his past conflicts with the establishment, Thaksin remains a dominant force within the party and Thai politics as a whole.

In June, Thaksin was charged with insulting the monarchy, a serious offense under Thailand’s strict lese majeste law, which has been used to silence political dissidents. The recent dismissal of Srettha Thavisin has been interpreted as a warning to Thaksin to moderate his political activities.

Yingluck Shinawatra, Paetongtarn’s aunt, won a landslide victory in the 2011 election but was later disqualified by the courts, leading to her government’s ousting by a second military coup. She now lives in exile, away from the political turmoil that continues to grip Thailand.

Paetongtarn’s appointment as prime minister represents a new chapter for the Shinawatra family, but it also places her at the center of Thailand’s turbulent political landscape, where she must navigate the challenges of governance while preserving her family’s political legacy.