Thailand’s youngest president has impressed with her ‘ sweet skills’ and ability to make the right phone under stress
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former prime minister Thaksin, became the youngest legislator, at the age of 37, and subsequent woman following in the footsteps of her uncle Yingluck, to hold the position of top.
For the stimulating begin she has made to leading a state, Ms Paetongtarn is the victim of this year’s Bangkok Post Women of the Year Award.
Ms Paetongtarn is a Thai lawmaker who has served as the 31st prime minister of Thailand since 2024 and has been the president of the Pheu Thai Party since 2023.
Following the removal of Srettha Thavisin as prime minister by the Constitutional Court on Aug 14 last year for appointing Pichit Chuenban, an ex-convict, as PM’s Office Minister in violation of the law, Ms Paetongtarn was nominated by Pheu Thai to achieve Mr Srettha.
Her election was approved by the House of Representatives on Aug 16 after no options were named by the other functions in the ruling coalition. She was officially sworn in on Aug 18, following an support from His Majesty the King, followed by her government on Sept 6.
Her strong management and ability to make officials and the public everywhere buy into the confidence of her convictions have been her chief talents, and she thoroughly deserved her place among the” 100 World’s Most Powerful People 2024″ by Forbes magazine.
Listed in 29th position, but second in Asia, she was even named on” Time 100 Future” in the leaders group by Time magazine before.
She even moonlights as a family with two children. Despite only having served as prime minister for six weeks, Ms Paetongtarn has managed difficult situations, especially during the current storms, with subtlety and detail that belie her lack of political knowledge.
She even coordinated the answer to a school bus blaze in Pathum Thani, in which she ordered authorities to work quickly and in time with the condition. She has likewise continued to push different policies initiated by the state of Mr Srettha.
Among these have been the free card program to increase tourism, a three-year debt suspension for farmers, the 10, 000-baht cash handout, the ancient change that brings equality to marriage in the kingdom and the continuation of the powerful 30-baht widespread healthcare project.
Showing her skills of diplomacy, she has formed a leadership team of senior ministers from the different coalition parties committed to fostering economic growth and developing the country.
In early February, she ordered the suspension of electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to five border areas in Myanmar as part of a multinational effort to dismantle transnational scams and human trafficking networks operating in the region.
Shortly after the order, she went to China from Feb 5–8, where she emphasised Thailand’s commitment to strengthening ties in sectors like electric vehicles, semiconductors, and data centres.
President Xi Jinping thanked her for Thailand’s strong measures against scam networks targeting Chinese nationals and specifically praised her government’s recent decision to cut off electricity to three major crime hubs just across the Thai-Myanmar border. Under her leadership, she has expedited the 10, 000-baht handout, which was one of the key election promises of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, though it was originally referred to as the “digital wallet scheme”.
The first phase of the 10, 000-baht handout, which kicked off in September, benefited 14.5 million state welfare cardholders and disabled individuals. Its second phase kicked off in January, with about three million people aged 60 and over eligible for the cash.
Ms Paetongtarn can set herself apart from her predecessors if she can make a difference in divisive issues. She said she is a” Gen-Y” prime minister who has “facts and legal basis” to back her policymaking decisions and has called on the people to understand her way of working. Generation Y usually refers to those born between 1981 and 1997.
Paetongtarn ShinawatraPrime Minister