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Paetongtarn Shinawatra was on Sunday endorsed by the King to become the new and youngest ever Prime Minister of Thailand. Her appointment follows a series of twists and turns in Thai politics over the past week, during which the Constitutional Court ousted Srettha Thavisin, her predecessor from the same Pheu Thai party.
The country’s youngest ever prime minister at 37 years old, Paetongtarn is the daughter of ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra. She becomes Thailand’s second woman prime minister, after her aunt – and Thaksin’s sister – Yingluck Shinawatra.
On Sunday, King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s approval was read to her by the secretary of the House of Representatives at Pheu Thai headquarters in the capital Bangkok.
Paetongtarn got down on her knees and paid homage to a portrait of the king, before giving a short speech thanking him.
“This is the highest honor and pride in my life,” she said after the endorsement.
“I, my family and the Pheu Thai party greatly appreciate His Majesty’s kindness. I am determined to perform my duties with my loyalty and honesty for the benefit of the nation and the people,” she added.
She is expected to appoint her 35-member cabinet and will lead the ministers in swearing an oath before the king. The new government will, she said, continue to push a soft-power initiative that taps the country’s historic and contemporary cultures, as well as tourism.
She pledged to put problems affecting the nation first, vowing to cooperate with all parties.
“No one wants to repeat what happened to my father and my aunt,” Paetongtarn said.
Last week, the Constitutional Court ruled Srettha breached ethics rules by appointing to his cabinet a lawyer – and Thaksin aide – who had served prison time.
Srettha’s dismissal was the latest blow to the Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai.
Paetongtarn said she wouldn’t be influenced by others. She said she may ask her father for advice, but stressed she has her own ideas, adding that Thaksin will not take up any role in the administration.
Lewis Musonye
