Thailand’s new Prime Minister, 37-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was officially appointed by the country’s King. Paetongtarn is the daughter of the controversial former Thai Prime Minister and billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra. Yesterday, at around 9:30 AM local time in Bangkok, Paetongtarn received the formal letter to form the government from King Maha Vajiralongkorn during a ceremony held at the headquarters of a former Thaksin-affiliated television station.
According to Al Jazeera, she was sworn in as the country’s new Prime Minister later that day. Last Wednesday, Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Two days later, on Friday, Paetongtarn was elected as the new and youngest Prime Minister by the country’s parliament. Among the distinguished guests at the ceremony was Paetongtarn’s father, Thaksin Shinawatra (75), who was seated in the front row next to her husband.