PAETONGTARN Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was elected the new leader of the Pheu Thai party.
The 37-year-old was chosen during a meeting of executives and core members at the party’s headquarters.
Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, founded the populist Pheu Thai party in 2007 after a military coup overthrew him from power in 2006.
He went on a self-imposed exile in 2008 and returned to the country in August 2023 after staying for 15 years overseas.
Paetongtarn was one of the party’s three prime ministerial candidates but chose to give way on behalf of Srettha Thavisin who was elected as Thailand’s 30th Prime Minister in August.
To recall, Paetongtarn’s father who was sentenced on charges of corruption and abuse of power was sentenced to 12 years in prison but was reduced to one year after the King of Thailand granted him pardon.
Thaksin Shinawatra remains detained and denied the charges against him, stating it was politically motivated.
