Thailand’s PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra survives no-confidence vote in parliament

Photo: AFP

Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has survived a no-confidence vote in parliament. The opposition tried to remove her, claiming she was controlled by her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

After two days of heated debate, lawmakers voted on the motion. Paetongtarn won with 319 votes in her favor, while 162 voted against her. Seven lawmakers chose not to vote. After her victory, she thanked her supporters and promised to continue working hard for the people.

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“All votes, both for and against, will motivate me and my team to keep doing our best,” she wrote on Facebook.

Public Confidence Is Low

The vote came at a difficult time for Paetongtarn. A recent survey showed that only 38.55% of the public believes her government can solve the country’s problems.

Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, is a key figure in Thai politics. He was a popular leader among the poor but was disliked by the country’s elite. In 2023, he returned to Thailand after living abroad for 15 years to avoid corruption charges. He was sentenced to eight years in prison but served only a few months in a police hospital before receiving a royal pardon. Many people believe a secret deal was made to reduce his punishment.

Paetongtarn became Thailand’s leader last year after the previous Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, was removed by the court. At 38, she is the country’s youngest-ever prime minister and the second woman to hold the position. The first was her aunt, who was removed in a coup in 2014.

Accusations in Parliament

During the debate, opposition lawmaker Rangsiman Rome accused Paetongtarn of using her power to give her father special treatment in prison.

“You made a secret deal to make sure your father never had to spend a single day in jail,” he said.

Paetongtarn denied this, explaining that she became prime minister months after her father was pardoned. Thaksin has said he only gives his daughter advice, but many believe he still influences the government.

The opposition also accused Paetongtarn of avoiding taxes and mishandling the case of 40 Uighurs who were recently sent back to China. Their deportation sparked international criticism, and the United States even placed visa bans on some Thai officials because of it.

Despite these challenges, Paetongtarn remains in power and says she is determined to continue her work for Thailand.