Paetongtarn Shinawatra is the youngest person to become Thai premier and the second woman prime minister. - Photo: EPA-EFE
BANGKOK: Thailand’s new prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is committed to improving people’s livelihoods, and said she will tap her father, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, for advice.
“But not all the time, because that’s not possible. I am my own person and... I have my goals that I want to achieve for the future,” said Paetongtarn, speaking at her first press conference after being appointed on Sunday (Aug 18) morning.
Paetongtarn, 37, is the leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the youngest daughter of the powerful but divisive billionaire who led the country for a period from 2001.
While there is no plan for her father to take on any formal position in the government, she will consult him for his opinions, as well as her family and those she respects, said Paetongtarn.
“His vision has contributed to the development of the country for over 10 years... Therefore, it’s unavoidable that I would need to ask for his advice as well,” she said.
Paetongtarn is the youngest person to become Thai premier. The mother of two is also the nation’s second woman prime minister and the third Shinawatra to take on the premiership, after her aunt Yingluck and father Thaksin, who fled into exile after military coups.
Still, she has hopes that her leadership will not meet the same fate. “I expect my government to be the strongest. Of course, I have to look on the bright side,” she said, responding to a question from The Straits Times.
“While I didn’t plan to take on this role initially, I want to assure everyone that I am fully prepared and determined,” she said.
“We must look at the goal. If we sit and worry about everything, we won’t be able to achieve our goals.”
Her focus would be key policies, such as economic reforms, healthcare improvements and promoting Thailand on the global stage, Paetongtarn said, without initially making mention of the 10,000 baht (S$380) per person giveaway that Pheu Thai had promised during the 2023 election campaign.
When asked by reporters about the status of the giveaway, she said the initial intention of the pledge was to stimulate the economy.
“Over the past year, many events have occurred, and the country’s economic conditions have changed. We will definitely need to study and listen to additional opinions, and it must also comply with the fiscal and financial disciplinary Act. This is what needs to be done moving forward,” she said, adding that the plan to boost the economy remains.
The government has yet to disburse the 10,000 baht per person giveaway under its digital wallet scheme, Pheu Thai’s flagship policy. While much criticised, the one-time stimulus was seen as a way to deliver a quick win for a party known for its economic performance.
Thaksin was ousted by a military coup in 2006 and had remained outside of Thailand since then. He returned to the country in 2023 from self-exile on the same day that Pheu Thai joined hands with military-linked parties to form the government – in what was seen as a backroom deal following the May 2023 general election.
The resulting government was led by then Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Srettha, however, was dismissed by the Constitutional Court on Aug 14 for violating ethical standards over his appointment of Pichit Chuenban – Thaksin’s former lawyer – as minister in the prime minister’s office. Pichit had been jailed in 2008 for contempt of court over an alleged bribery.
As a result, Thailand’s House of Representatives had to choose a new prime minister from a slate that had been nominated by respective political parties before the May 2023 election. This included Paetongtarn, a former business executive, whom the incumbent 11-party coalition agreed to back on the eve of the vote.
On Aug 16, Paetongtarn was elected by lawmakers, garnering support from nearly two-thirds of the House of Representatives.
During his one year in power, Srettha courted foreign investors through visits to countries such as France and Italy, touted a land bridge project to reduce shipping time between the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand, and eased visa requirements for long-staying visitors.
Still, the Thai economy, weighed down by high household debt and low productivity, grew a lacklustre 1.5 per cent in the January-to-March quarter for 2024.
Paetongtarn did not commit to following through with the digital wallet scheme, but said she expected to continue with Srettha’s policies, as well as promote Thailand’s service industry.
The new premier will unveil concrete policy details only in September. Dr Surachanee Sriyai, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, said the Pheu Thai-led government would be hard-pressed to deliver results.
“The quick win for Pheu Thai would be some sort of economic policy, regardless of whether it’s the digital wallet scheme,” she said. “It needs to do something. It’s been a year, and Pheu Thai has not achieved anything that it has promised the people.” - The Straits Times/ANN
