ISTANBUL
Thailand’s youngest Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra would require "significant efforts" to navigate challenges facing the Southeast Asian nation, a political scientist told Anadolu.
Pheu Thai Party’s Paetongtarn Shinawatra was elected on Friday 31st prime minister of the Southeast Asian, which is a constitutional monarchy.
She is Thailand’s youngest and second woman to hold this office.
The 1986-born prime minister "faces considerable challenges, not least due to her lineage" as the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said Yasmin Sattar, who teaches at Political Science, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus in southern Thailand.
Paetongtarn is youngest among her siblings and is known as Ung Ing among the Thai people.
She is the third member of the influential Shinawatra family to serve as the prime minister of Thailand, alongside her father and aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.
While her father Thaksin was ousted from office in a military coup during his visit to the US in 2006, Yingluck was removed by Thai Constitutional Court in 2014.
Paetongtarn’s predecessor Srettha Thavisin met Yingluck’s fate on Wednesday, when he became the fourth premier in 16 years to be removed by the same court.
Srettha’s removal came days after the top court had disbanded opposition Move Forward Party for campaigning to hurt the country’s conservative monarchy.
The court decisions, Sattar told Anadolu from Thailand "have intensified the political instability" the newly-elected prime minister "must navigate."
Family influence an ‘advantage’
In her first appearance before the media following Parliamentary victory to become the chief executive, Paetongtarn apologized.
Visibly moved, the mother of two offered apology being nervous.
"I can handle pressure. In my approach to politics, I don't view myself as the best or most talented person in the room. Instead, I focus on having a clear sense of purpose and building a strong, united team. I consider myself fortunate in this regard, and I’m confident that with a solid team, success is achievable regardless of the position," she told reporters.
Sattar, however, believes Shinawatra family’s influence "provides" the 37-year-old prime minister "with political leverage.
Paetongtarn’s father Thaksin was in exile before returning home early this year.
He was sentenced to eight years in absentia for corruption and other charges.
However, with a royal pardon, the telecom tycoon’s sentence has been reduced to one year and is out on parole.
With what many call judicial outreach and sensitive monarchy, Paetongtarn’s immediate predecessor Srettha lost his job for ethics violation by appointing a lawyer, who was convicted for briber in 2008, in his office as minister.
While baptized in Thailand’s political elite, Sattar, the academic, however, warned the family influence "could also attract strong opposition from other groups in politics, complicating" Paetongtarn’s leadership.
Her tenure, said Sattar, "begins at a time when Thai politics is particularly fragile, exacerbated by a constitution that grants extensive power to the constitutional court."
"Beyond these challenges," said the political scientist, the prime minister "may have to balance the interests of various factions within the coalition government."
Paetongtarn represents the Pheu Thai Party which has 141 lawmakers in the lower house of the country’s bi-cameral parliament.
With the support of 10 other parties, the party’s numbers climbed to 314 in the house of 493 lawmakers.
Paetongtarn received 319 votes as 145 voted against her, while 27 lawmakers abstained from participating in the prime minister’s election.
"Successfully managing these dynamics, alongside addressing Thailand’s current economic and social issues, will require significant political acumen," said Sattar, who served as a fellow at Asia Foundation Development last year.
Paetongtarn is awaiting royal endorsement which is likely to come on Sunday, following which she will announce her Cabinet.
