Thaksin Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was elected as the next prime minister of Thailand, was approved by the king. The 37-year-old Pattontan was confirmed as the 31st prime minister and the youngest prime minister ever after Theta Tawishin, who stepped down after the Constitutional Court’s decision to dismiss him on the 14th.
According to Reuters on the 18th, Thailand’s King Maha Wachiralongkorn approved Patongtan, who was elected prime minister in parliament on the 16th, as the next prime minister in two days. Patongtan received the approval letter and said, “I will be with the lawmakers with an open mind and fulfill the duties of the head of the administration,” adding, “I will listen to all opinions and develop the country stably.”
Born on Aug. 21, 1986, Patton will turn 38 next week after his birthday. She is the second female prime minister of Thailand after her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra. She is also the third prime minister of the Thaksin family after Thaksin (2001-2006) and Yingluck (2011-2014). Patton’s uncle Somchai Wongsawat also served as prime minister in 2008.
Patton will officially take office under oath, pledging his allegiance to the king, after selecting his cabinet. The ruling party said it would form a new cabinet within three weeks.
Patton Tan, who was running a family-owned business, entered politics in October 2021 as an advisor to the pro-Thaksin political party. The pro-Thai party won the second-largest number of seats after the Forward Party (MFP) in the general elections in May last year, but formed a coalition government in solidarity with the pro-military camp. Patton Tan became the party leader in October last year and became prime minister about three years after starting politics.
A day after Patton Tan was elected prime minister, Thaksin, his father, was included in the king’s pardon list. Thaksin, who returned to Korea in August last year after 15 years of flight, was sentenced to eight years in prison, but his sentence was reduced to one year due to royal pardons. He was also paroled in February, six months after his imprisonment, and the pardon completely freed him.
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
