Billionaire heiress becomes new head of government in Thailand

Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai party head Paetongtarn Shinawatra was elected prime minister during an extraordinary session of parliament on Friday, just two days after the dismissal of Srettha Thavisin by the Thai Constitutional Court.

Paetongtarn, who won a vote in parliament on Friday morning with a clear majority, becomes the country’s second female prime minister.

The 37-year-old is the daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the niece of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Both were in power for several years, but were then ousted in military coups and went into exile.

Srettha, 62, was deposed on Wednesday after less than a year in office following legal action by 40 senators. They accused him of appointing Pichit Chuenban as minister in contravention of rules, which prevent appointments to people with criminal records. The court ruled in the senators’ favour.

Thaksin, a billionaire, returned to Thailand in August last year having been in self-imposed exile since 2008.