Thailand gets youngest Prime Minister. Who is 37 years old Paetongtarn Shinawatra?

Paetongtarn Shinawatra was elected as Thailand’s prime minister on Friday, continuing the legacy of the political dynasty that began with her father Thaksin Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn was nominated following the ousting of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from the Pheu Thai party on Wednesday, after serving less than a year. The Constitutional Court convicted him of a grave ethical violation related to his appointment of a Cabinet member previously imprisoned for an alleged bribery incident.

As the sole nominee, she secured the position with 319 votes in favor, 145 against, and 27 abstentions. Paetongtarn, who leads the Pheu Thai party—a recent addition to the series of parties associated with Thaksin—was not required to be an elected lawmaker to be eligible for the prime minister candidacy.

She will officially become prime minister with royal assent, though the timing of that step isn’t known.

Who is Paetongtarn Shinawatra?

Paetongtarn Shinawatra is the daughter of former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, one of Thailand’s most popular but divisive political figures.

Paetongtarn is Thailand’s third leader from the Shinawatra family, after her billionaire father, who returned from exile last year, and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra, who lives in exile.

She is the country’s youngest leader at 37, and Thailand’s second female prime minister after her aunt.

Paetongtarn, a former business executive, has also been active in business and social initiatives.

Speaking to reporters after the Parliament vote at the party's office in Bangkok, the overwhelmed new leader said she was very “honored and happy.”

“I really hope that I can make people feel confident, that we can build opportunity and quality of life,” she said. “I hope that I can do my best to make the country go forward.”

When Paetongtarn was on the campaign trail for Pheu Thai, she acknowledged her family ties but insisted she was not just her father’s proxy.

“I am my dad’s daughter, always and forever, but I have my own decisions,” she told a reporter.