Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of ex-premier Thaksin, becomes Thailand’s 31st Prime Minister after securing 319 votes in a swift parliamentary session. Less than 48 hours after Srettha Thavisin’s removal, she is the third Shinawatra family member in the role.
Thailand’s new Prime Minister is Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The 37-year-old Pheu Thai Party leader was elected with 319 votes on Friday afternoon. At length, the special session of parliament, which met at 10 a.m., turned out to be uneventful as the outcome was certain after yesterday’s endorsement by the coalition parties.
Less than 48 hours after the Constitutional Court removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, his replacement was elected by the House of Representatives. Just after noon on Friday, the house voted 37-year-old Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra or ‘Ung Ing’ as the kingdom’s 31st Prime Minister. The daughter of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra is the third in the family to assume the role.
In addtion, Ms Paetongtarn is the youngest person in history to be appointed Thailand’s Prime Minister. She is the second woman to hold the post after her aunt Ms Yingluck Shinawatra who was elected in 2011.
The special meeting of parliament, summoned by Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on Wednesday, made the appointment according to Section 159 of the 2017 Constitution.
Quick parliamentary vote results in the election of Paetongtarn as Prime Minister by early afternoon
The meeting opened at 10 a.m. and concluded its business surprisingly early at 12:35 p.m. Afterwards, friends and colleagues rushed to congratulate Ms. Paetongtarn also known as ‘Ung Ing.’
At length, Ms. Paetongtarn was proposed by Mr. Surawong Thienthong, the MP for Sa Kaeo Province.
Initially, 291 MPs supported that call. After that, there were no other nominations made by the MPs in session. Nominees were limited to names put forward before the 2023 General Election.
Therefore, the newly formed People’s Party was precluded from nominating an alternative. Following that, Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha explained that the formal vote must have the support of 248 MPs, basically over half of the House of Representatives, which now stands at 493 MPs.
Ung Ing gets the nod and will be the sole candidate supported by coalition partners for Prime Minister
The vote, unlike last year’s proceedings, was not open to Senate members. This, along with yesterday’s full endorsement of Ms. Paetongtarn, assured her appointment with ease.
Mixed political messages emerge as Paetongtarn secures 319 votes to become Thailand’s new government leader
Significantly, Police Lieutenant Colonel Chalerm Yubamrung, who is openly hostile to the Pheu Thai Party and particularly to Ms. Paetongtarn, did not vote.
The MP, formerly a Pheu Thai parliamentary leader, is trapped within the ruling party. It, at the behest of Ung Ing, refuses to expel him from its ranks. It is unknown whether the MP was present in parliament or not.
Nonetheless, Ms. Paetongtarn drew some support from the opposition benches. Six MPs from the Thai Sang Thai Party, led by former Pheu Thai Party stalwart Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, voted for Ms. Paetongtarn.
Finally, Ms. Paetongtarn secured 319 votes, while 145, mainly from the People’s Party, opposed. There were 27 abstentions.
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Further reading:
PM vote in disarray as Pheu Thai MPs vote to support Paetongtarn or Ung Ing for the job instead
‘I am a man of integrity.’ Dismissed PM defends his honour as he is forced out of Government House
Ex-Senator gives PM Srettha 50:50 odds on surviving this Wednesday. Not impressed with his defence
Political maelstrom may be unleashed in June with potential crises brewing and coming to a climax
PM survives Constitutional Court’s call in a close run thing raising real questions over his future
PM Srettha Thavisin could be temporarily toppled from power on Thursday by the Constitutional Court
