PAETONGTARN Shinawatra has been elected as Thailand’s 31st Prime Minister, making history as the youngest person to assume the role at 37.
The parliamentary vote, held on Friday, followed the dismissal of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin by the Constitutional Court for an ethics violation.
Shinawatra, leader of the Pheu Thai Party, was the sole nominee for the position.
She becomes the second woman to serve as Prime Minister, succeeding her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, who was the first female Prime Minister before being ousted in a 2014 coup.
Paetongtarn is also the third member of the influential Shinawatra family to lead Thailand, following her father, Thaksin Shinawatra.
The vote count was 319 in favor, 145 against, and 27 abstentions, with the Pheu Thai Party’s 11-party coalition providing strong support. Her appointment now awaits royal endorsement and her official swearing-in.
Shinawatra’s rise comes amid ongoing political instability and economic challenges, continuing the prominent role of the Shinawatra family in Thailand’s political landscape.
