Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn appoints Paetongtarn Shinawatra as new PM

Paetongtarn, the kingdom’s youngest ever PM, comes to office after a court sacked the previous premier and disbanded the main opposition party, throwing Thailand’s ever-febrile political scene into a new round of turmoil.

She is the third Shinawatra to be prime minister, but will hope to avoid the fate of her father and aunt Yingluck, both of whom were thrown out of power in military coups.

She called on all Thais to work together to help revitalise the country’s sluggish economy, which has struggled to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As head of the government I will work with parliament with an open heart, open to all ideas to help develop the country,” she said after the ceremony.

“Fellow Thais, this duty cannot be done by the prime minister alone. I hope I will be able to coordinate the power of all generations, all talented people in Thailand – from the cabinet, the coalition, civil servants, private sector and the people.”

Thaksin, 75, was a prominent attendee at the ceremony, standing alongside Paetongtarn’s husband in the front row.

“She has to work hard. Her strong point is that she is young, she can ask anyone for help – she is humble,” Thaksin told reporters after the ceremony.

“Twenty-three years ago she was standing behind my back but today I was standing behind her.”

Paetongtarn heads a coalition government led by her Pheu Thai party – the latest incarnation of the political movement founded by her father in the early 2000s – but including some pro-military groups long opposed to Thaksin.

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Thai parliament elects Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as country’s next prime minister

Thailand has been dominated for more than 20 years by a tussle for dominance between Thaksin and his allies and the