Paetongtarn Shinawatra is a Thai businesswoman and politician, currently serving as the 31st prime minister of Thailand. She was elected as the country's youngest PM in August 2024. Paetongtarn, widely known by her nickname “Ung Ing”, is the youngest daughter of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and is also among the wealthiest individuals in the country. Paetongtarn is the third Shinawatra to hold the job, after her billionaire father and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra. Notably, Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra was Thailand's first female prime minister from 2011 to 2014. An in-law also served briefly in 2008.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra's political career
Her public entry into politics came in 2021 when the Pheu Thai Party named her chief of its Inclusion and Innovation Advisory Committee. She was appointed as leader of Pheu Thai in 2023 after she was named one of its three prime ministerial candidates ahead of the polls.
Earlier, when asked if she would become a politician or a candidate for prime minister, she had told reporters, "I feel safer to be an adviser than a politician. I want to make my project successful. For other things, I am not ready yet."
Her father, Thaksin, is Thailand's most popular but reportedly decisive political figure and was ousted by a military coup in 2006.
Thai PM's net worth: Here's what media reports say
According to some media reports, she declared assets totalling over $400 million. The declaration, which was filed with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), stated that her wealth includes luxury handbags, watches, and a collection of high-end vehicles.
She owns more than 200 designer handbags, with a combined cost of over USD 2 million, and 75 luxury watches valued at approximately USD 5 million. She owns almost 23 luxury vehicles, including a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
PM Modi to meet Paetongtarn Shinawatra
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Thailand, will meet PM C and attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. Prime Minister Modi and his Thai counterpart are scheduled to visit Wat Pho, one of the top six temples in Thailand that is famous for its massive reclining Buddha statue.
Also Read | PM Modi reaches Bangkok to attend 6th BIMSTEC Summit, followed by Sri Lanka visit
