Who is Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thailand's new prime minister?

  • 2 weeks ago

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Transcript
00:00Phetthongthang Chinawat is the third Chinawat to become prime minister and is Thailand's
00:05youngest ever leader at 37. As she spoke after her election in absentia by parliament, it
00:12appeared not to have sunk in.
00:14I'm so excited today because I can't really hold my breath at all. I don't know why. I
00:20hope that I can do my best to make the country go forward.
00:29Known in Thailand by her nickname Aung Ing, Phetthongthang has been in politics for just
00:33two years. Before that, she ran hotels for her billionaire family's business.
00:38During last year's election, she campaigned hard, leading rallies in stifling heat, before
00:43giving birth just two weeks before polling day.
00:47Her party came second, but eventually took power by allying with the military, the same
00:52military which ousted both her father Thaksin and her aunt Yingluck.
00:57Thaksin casts a shadow over his daughter. The telecoms tycoon revolutionised Thai politics
01:03with populist policies that won loyalty from the rural masses, but disturbed the royalist
01:08establishment. He won two landslide elections before the 2006 coup d'etat, and last year
01:15made a dramatic return from 15 years of exile, apparently having made a deal with his former
01:20conservative enemies.
01:23While this has alienated some of his supporters, it's allowed his party to cling on to power.
01:28But the alliance is a fragile one, and Phetthongthang comes into a dangerous position. Just two
01:33days ago, her predecessor Seta Thawisin was sacked in a court case raised by army-appointed
01:39senators.

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