Political foray by Thaksin’s daughter sparks talk of family return

PHOTO: @INGSHIN21 on Instagram

“The youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has taken up a post in Thailand's largest opposition party, Pheu Thai, sparking rumours of a Shinawatra family comeback.

“This will be Ms Paetongtarn ‘Ing’ Shinawatra's first public foray into politics but analysts were not surprised by her appointment as head of the party's Inclusion and Innovation Advisory Committee, and did not rule out the possibility that she could be put up as a potential candidate for prime minister in the future.

"‘Pheu Thai has been plagued with infighting and defections lately. There were rumours that Thaksin would attempt to reassert family control in advance of the next election, which might come as soon as next year. So I am not surprised at all by this news,’ said director of the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, Dr Duncan McCargo, an expert in Thai politics.”

NYSEAN co-founder Duncan McCargo is quoted in this article discussing the possible return of Thaksin’s political influence. Read the full article in The Straits Times.