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Paetongtarn Shinawatra

The Thai parliament elected its youngest-ever prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, on 16 August 2024, just days after the dismissal of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. The fourth Thai prime minister in 16 years to be unseated by the Constitutional Court, Srettha was formally removed by the Constitutional Court in Bangkok on 14 August 2024.

Paetongtarn’s appointment came amid a long-running battle between the pro-royalist military establishment and populist parties linked to the Pheu Thai party. After the army seized power in the 2014 coup, General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, the army chief, said it had stepped in to end the bitter political division and dysfunction within the government. In 2017, the military government introduced a new constitution. The military remained in control until 2019, when the first elections were held after a long delay.

Under Srettha, in 2023 Pheu Thai party allied itself with the same military that had overthrown its government in 2014. Before then, the self-declared “pro-democracy” Pheu Thai had been in a coalition with the Move Forwards Party (MPF), but the MPF abandoned the coalition three months after the 2023 election.

Paetongtarn was elected easily, as her party and its allies hold 314 out of 493 seats in parliament, and she required the vote of at least half of the current legislators to become prime minister. The 250-seat Senate, whose appointed members were approved by the military junta, also votes for prime minister, so it is possible that the leader of the biggest party in the 500-seat elected lower house could be denied the top job if the Senate votes with minority parties.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the Thai politician and businesswoman better known as Ung Ing, is the 36-year-old daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra and Potjaman Na Pombejra. Born 21 August 1986, Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of Thaksin. She is also the niece of Yingluck Shinawatra, another former Pheu Thai prime minister who, like Thaksin, was removed in a coup. The influential Shinawatra family, which has played a significant role in Thailand's political landscape. She recently emerged as a key figure in the country’s political scene. While many remember Thaksin fondly, the nomination of his daughter as the party head and prime minister candidate has been met with more mixed reactions. And she still faces competition for the potential Pheu Thai premiership from real estate mogul Srettha Thavisin. Ung Ing is not skill-less. She is a semi-celebrity when she rallies up in the north and she speaks in the local language.

While Ung Ing said in April 2023 that she did not like coups “especially the last two”, speculation continues that she might be willing to form a coalition with a military-linked party. After all, who eventually becomes prime minister is decided not only by the popular vote, but by the preferences of the country’s 250 military-appointed senators.

Paetongtarn had been voters’ first or second choice for prime minister since campaigning began. She has been trading places in polls with Pita Limjaroenrat of the progressive Move Forward Party. Recent surveys had given the opposition parties big leads heading into the May 14 general election, which could spell trouble for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who first rose to power as army chief after he ousted the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra, Paetongtarn’s aunt.

Paetongtarn earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a major in Sociology and Anthropology from the elite conservative Chulalongkorn University and later obtained a master’s degree in International Hotel Management from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. Before entering politics, Paetongtarn was involved in the family’s business empire, particularly in real estate and hospitality. She held executive positions in several companies associated with the Shinawatra family. Besides her management duties, she is also a board member for other businesses in the company’s portfolio, such as the Rosewood Bangkok Hotel, Thames Valley Khao Yai Hotel, and the Alpine Golf Club. Ing is married to Pidok “Por” Sooksawas, a pilot working at Thai Aviation Service, and admits she loves to travel.

Paetongtarn's formal entry into politics was marked by her role in the Pheu Thai Party, the main political vehicle for the Shinawatra family after the dissolution of Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai Party and its successor, the People’s Power Party. She was appointed as the head of the party’s “Inclusion and Innovation” committee in 2021, which was seen as a strategic move to appeal to younger voters and to modernize the party’s platform. Paetongtarn was appointed chief adviser to Pheu Thai for participation and innovation, at the party’s general assembly in Khon Kaen on 28 Octobe 2021. The introduction of Ms Paetongtarn, 35, was a highlight of the leading oppostion party’s general assembly in the northeastern city. It fits into Pheu Thai's policy of bringing in a younger generation as a driving force to work with the party's veteran politicians, Thai media reported. The current leader, Sompong Amornvivat, announced his decision to step down during the general assembly to make way for a restructuring and passing of tasks to other party heavyweights ahead of the next general election.

Paetongtarn played a significant role in the 2023 general election as one of the Pheu Thai Party's prime ministerial candidates. Her candidacy was viewed as a continuation of the Shinawatra legacy and was aimed at rallying the party’s base, particularly in the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand, where the Shinawatras have historically enjoyed strong support.

Although Paetongtarn’s political experience was relatively limited compared to other candidates, her family name and the Shinawatra legacy made her a prominent figure in the election. Pheu Thai emerged as one of the leading parties in the election, though it faced stiff competition from other parties, including the progressive Move Forward Party. Paetongtarn is seen as a symbol of continuity for the Shinawatra political dynasty, which remains popular among rural and lower-income voters in Thailand. Her leadership in the Pheu Thai Party has been pivotal in maintaining the party’s relevance and appeal in the face of challenges from both the military-backed establishment and newer political movements.

Like other members of her family, Paetongtarn has faced criticism from those who view the Shinawatras as a corrupt and divisive force in Thai politics. Her detractors argue that her rise in politics represents a continuation of the political polarization that has characterized Thailand for decades.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra represents the next generation of the Shinawatra family’s involvement in Thai politics. Her role in the 2023 general election and beyond will likely shape the future of the Pheu Thai Party and the broader political landscape in Thailand. As the political situation in Thailand evolves, Paetongtarn's leadership and the extent to which she can maintain or even expand the Shinawatra influence will be critical in determining the direction of Thai politics. Paetongtarn’s emergence as a political leader signifies the enduring influence of the Shinawatra family in Thailand, as well as the ongoing struggle between populist movements and the traditional elite, including the military, in shaping the country’s future.

When she campaigned for election as a prime ministerial candidate last year, Paetongtarn’s promises included lowering Bangkok’s public transportation fares, expanding healthcare coverage and doubling the minimum daily wage. In Paetongtarn’s first term in office, she will be faced with Thailand’s struggling economy, her party’s dwindling popularity and a possible rise of the opposition, which, since the dissolution of MPF, has regrouped as the Peoples’ Party.

On 29 August 2025 Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled 6–3 to remove suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, citing ethical violations. Her premiership officially ended on July 1, 2025, and her cabinet was dissolved. The decision follows a leaked call with Cambodia's ex-leader Hun Sen, sparking criticism over her handling of border tensions. Paetongtarn accepted the verdict, stating her actions aimed to protect lives. She becomes the fifth Thai PM ousted by the court since 2008, deepening political instability.

On 02 September 2025, Paetongtarn Shinawatra mounted a legal challenge to the top court on an ethics violation case that led to her removal from the top elected post in the South-east Asian nation. She was ousted after Thailand’s top court ruled her phone call with Cambodian leader Hun Sen — in which she criticised the military’s 2nd Army Region commander amid border tensions — violated ethical standards of her office. The court suspended her from duty while deliberating the case. The dismissal has caused turbulence for Thailand’s political establishment, which has seen repeated clashes between elected leaders and the judiciary since the ousting of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006.