Thailand Elects Its Youngest Prime Minister, Second Woman to Hold Post

Political neophyte Paetongtarn Shinawatra was elected by Thailand’s parliament as the youngest prime minister of the country on Friday.

The 37-year-old daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra was elected to the post just days after the dismissal of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

Paetongtarnis the youngest child of billionaire Thaksin, 75, founder of the Pheu Thai party, with which Srettha was also affiliated.

Before entering politics three years ago, she helped run the hotel wing of her family’s business empire.

Paetongtarn is the third person from her family to take the country’s top job. Her father, Thaksin, became prime minister with the Thai Rak Thai Party in 2001 until he was deposed by a military coup in 2006.

Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra became prime minister in 2011 until she was removed by the Constitutional Court in 2014.

Paetongtarn is Thailand’s second-ever female prime minister after her aunt.