Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a 37-year-old billionaire heiress and the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has made history by being elected as Thailand’s new leader, capturing the support of a majority of lawmakers......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Stepping into the spotlight amid a turbulent political landscape, Ms. Shinawatra rises to prominence despite never having held an elected office before. Her selection by the Pheu Thai party follows the dramatic ousting of Prime Minister Srettha Thaksin, who was dismissed after appointing a cabinet member with a criminal conviction.
With Pheu Thai and its allies holding 314 seats in parliament, Ms. Shinawatra needed the endorsement of over half of the 493 lawmakers to secure her position—a testament to her burgeoning political influence.
Known affectionately in Thailand as Aw Ung Ing, she has spent the last three years transitioning from managing her family’s expansive hotel empire to navigating the intricacies of political campaigning.
Throughout the 2023 elections, she maintained a vigorous presence on the trail, captivating voters even while balancing the challenges of pregnancy with her second child.
Her educational journey is as impressive as her family legacy; after graduating from Chulalongkorn University, she honed her skills in international hotel management at the University of Surrey in England.
“My passion is a hotel,” she revealed in a March 2022 interview, reflecting on her aspirations.
“But after having a child, my thinking changed. I want to make the country livable for my children.”
Ms. Shinawatra’s path to leadership is deeply intertwined with her father’s tumultuous history.
At just 20 years old, she witnessed the military coup that ousted him from power in 2006, an experience that shaped her resolve and perspective.
Despite his exile amid corruption charges, Thaksin’s influence remains palpable within the party he founded, which has consistently dominated elections in Thailand.
Now, the youngest of his three children stands poised to redefine the nation’s future.