Thailand's ruling alliance to nominate ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's daughter to be country's new leader

A day after Thailand’s constitutional court dismissed Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin from his office, the country’s populist party Pheu Thai announced that it would nominate party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra for the prime ministerial post. On Thursday, the party decided to go with the daughter of Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and maintained that they would support her when the parliament votes.

Thavisin was removed from office by the court over an ethical violation. Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of the former Thai premier and was seen as the force behind the populist party.

If Paetongtarn wins the parliament vote, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, she will become Thailand’s second female prime minister and the country’s third leader from the renowned Shinawatra family. Her father and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra have held the prime ministerial post in the past.

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Ruling alliance to conduct meeting to finalise the new leader

On Thursday, Sorawong Thienthong, secretary-general of Pheu Thai, told reporters outside the parliament that the party executives would be meeting later in the day to decide on its prime ministerial nomination in Parliament.

Srettha was ousted on Wednesday after serving the prime ministerial office for less than a year. His exit came as Thailand’s Constitutional Court found him guilty of a serious ethical breach after he appointed a cabinet member who was jailed over bribery charges.

This was the second major ruling in the turbulent week, that shook Thai politics. Earlier this month, the same court dissolved the progressive and main opposition Move Forward party. The party won last year’s general election but was barred from assuming power after the court said that it violated the Constitution by proposing an amendment to a law against defaming the country’s royal family.

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After the dissolution, some of the party members eventually re-grouped as the People’s Party.

Ruling coalition partners have also given other names

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai’s ruling coalition partners have already given other names for the prime ministerial post as well. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai party’s candidate and leader is seen as another frontrunner. However, he maintained that he would not contest Friday’s vote against a candidate from Pheu Thai.

It is pertinent to note that a prime ministerial candidate now needs just a majority from the lower house, or at least 247 votes to assume the office. Thailand’s current House of Representatives has 493 sitting members after six were banned from politics as a result of Move Forward’s dissolution. Another lawmaker from the Bhumjaithai party is suspended and is awaiting a court ruling.

Meanwhile, the newly formed People’s Party has said that it will not approve a candidate from Pheu Thai during the Friday voting. The party’s leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, and his group will continue their duty as an opposition.

With inputs from agencies.