Paetongtarn Shinawatra
Paetongtarn Shinawatra RThBh | |
|---|---|
แพทองธาร ชินวัตร | |
Paetongtarn in June 2025 | |
| 31st Prime Minister of Thailand | |
| In office 16 August 2024 – 29 August 2025[a] | |
| Monarch | Vajiralongkorn |
| Deputy | See list
|
| Preceded by | Srettha Thavisin |
| Succeeded by | Suriya Juangroongruangkit (acting) Anutin Charnvirakul (designate) |
| Minister of Culture | |
| In office 30 June 2025 – 29 August 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Herself Suriya Juangroongruangkit (acting) |
| Preceded by | Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol |
| Succeeded by | Suchart Tancharoen (acting) |
| Leader of the Pheu Thai Party | |
| Assumed office 27 October 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Chusak Sirinil (acting) |
| Head of the Pheu Thai Family | |
| In office 20 March 2022 – 27 October 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 August 1986 Bangkok, Thailand[1] |
| Political party | Pheu Thai |
| Spouse(s) |
Pitaka Suksawat (m. 2019) |
| Children | 2 |
| Mother | Potjaman Damapong |
| Father | Thaksin Shinawatra |
| Relatives | Shinawatra family |
| Education |
|
| Occupation |
|
| Signature | |
| Nickname(s) | Ung Ing (อุ๊งอิ๊ง) |
Paetongtarn Shinawatra RThBh (Thai: แพทองธาร ชินวัตร; RTGS: Phaethongthan Chinnawat; born 21 August 1986) is a Thai politician and businesswoman. She was the 31st Prime Minister of Thailand from 2024 until her suspension in 2025. She has been the leader of the Pheu Thai Party since 2023. She is the youngest daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra (prime minister from 2001 to 2006) and the niece of Yingluck Shinawatra (prime minister from 2011 to 2014).[2][3] In June 2025, she made herself Minister of Culture.
Shinawatra is the youngest person in Thai history to become prime minister and the second woman to hold the position.[4]
Early life
Paetongtarn was born on 21 August 1986 in Bangkok. Her father is Thaksin Shinawatra and her mother is Potjaman Na Pombejra. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Political Science, Sociology, and Anthropology from the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University in 2008 and continued her studies in England at the University of Surrey.[5]
Premiership
After the removal of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin as prime minister by the Constitutional Court of Thailand on 14 August 2024, Paetongtarn was nominated by Pheu Thai to replace him.[6] Her nomination was approved by parliament on 16 August.[7] She became the youngest person and the second woman to become Prime Minister of Thailand.[8]
2025 leak and suspension
On 15 June 2025, Shinawatra had a 17-minute private phone call with Cambodian Senate President and former Prime Minister Hun Sen to talk about a peaceful solution to the 2025 Cambodian–Thai border crisis.[9] Three days later, a 9 minute audio recording of the call was leaked.[10] Later that day, Hun Sen confirmed he had recorded the full conversation and posted it on his Facebook page.[11][12] During the phone call, Paetongtarn called Hun Sen as "uncle" since Hun Sen is a longtime friend of her father, Thaksin. Paetongtarn then asked Hun Sen to "please have some sympathy for [his] niece" and that she will take care of anything he needed.[13]
After the leak, Paetongtarn was criticized throughout the country.[14] It led to the resignation of the Bhumjaithai Party from the governing coalition, causing 2025 Thai political crisis.[15]
She was suspended from office by the Constitutional Court on 1 July 2025, and the deputy prime minister, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, took over as Thailand's acting leader.[16][17]
On 29 August 2025, the Constitutional Court ruled 6–3 against Paetongtarn, officially removing her from office.[18]
Personal life
Shinawatra married businessman Pitaka Suksawat in 2019. They have two children.[19]
Notes
- ↑ Suspended from 1 July to 29 August 2025, when the Constitutional Court ruled to remove her from her position with retroactive effect.
References
- ↑ นางสาวแพทองธาร ชินวัตร
- ↑ "New Shinawatra may lead the next quest for power as Pheu Thai aims for 14 million members". Thai Examiner. 2022-03-21. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- ↑ "Young Shinawatra appointed Pheu Thai chief adviser for innovation". Bangkok Post. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- ↑ "Paetongtarn Shinawatra becomes Thailand's youngest prime minister". CNBC. 16 August 2024. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ↑ "เปิดประวัติ อุ๊งอิ๊ง-แพทองธาร ทายาทชินวัตร หัวหน้าครอบครัวเพื่อไทย". matichon (in Thai). 2022-03-22. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
- ↑ "Thailand's Pheu Thai party picks Paetongtarn Shinawatra as PM candidate". France 24. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "Thai lawmakers elect Thaksin's daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra as PM". France 24. August 16, 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ↑ "Ex-PM's daughter picked as youngest ever Thai leader". BBC. August 16, 2024. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ↑ Who is Khliang Huot? The interpreter in the Paetongtarn-Hun Sen audio clip
- ↑ Reporters, Online (2025-06-18). "Paetongtarn on defensive after leak of call with Hun Sen". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
- ↑ "Hun Sen admits to recording phone call with Thai PM and sharing with 80 officials". nationthailand. 2025-06-18. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
- ↑ Saksornchai, Jintamas (2025-06-19). "Thai prime minister's leaked phone call with Cambodia's Hun Sen sparks outrage and political turmoil". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
- ↑ "Paetongtarn feels heat over leaked call". Bangkok Post. 2025-06-20. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
- ↑ "Thai PM Paetongtarn faces calls to quit after leaked phone call". www.bbc.com. 2025-06-19. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
- ↑ "Thai govt faces political collapse after PM's leaked phone call scandal". The Straits Times. 2025-06-19. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
- ↑ Ng, Kelly (1 July 2025). "Thai prime minister suspended over leaked phone call". BBC News. Archived from the original on 1 July 2025.
- ↑ Wongcha-um, Panu; Thepgumpanat, Panarat (1 July 2025). "Thai court suspends PM from duty pending case seeking her dismissal". Reuters. Archived from the original on 1 July 2025.
- ↑ Graeme, Baker (29 August 2025). "Thai court removes PM over leaked phone call with Cambodian leader". BBC News.
- ↑ "เลือกตั้ง 2566 : ครอบครัวชินวัตรได้ข่าวดี "อุ๊งอิ๊งค์" คลอดลูกชาย คนที่ 2". Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.