5 August 2011

Yingluck Shinawatra becomes the country’s first female leader

Thailand wrote a new chapter in its political history after Yingluck Shinawatra became the country’s first female leader, following Pheu Thai Party’s victory in the July 3 election.

The key man behind the party’s success was none other than ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Ms Yingluck’s brother. After having once made his brother-in-law, Somchai Wongsawat, prime minister—albeit little more than a puppet PM—Thaksin successfully pushed for his youngest sister to take the government helm.

Thaksin’s past successes in the political arena were used to drum up support for Ms Yingluck and sympathy for the dissolved People’s Power Party, which was resurrected as Pheu Thai.

‘Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai acts’ and ‘Love Thaksin, vote for Yingluck’ were examples of how the party wooed pro-Thaksin voters to support Pheu Thai, with the result that the party won with 265 of the 500 seats. The lasting political power of Thaksin not only brought victory to Ms Yingluck but criticism that she was merely another puppet.

The flood disaster, the first test of her premiership, came right after her government was sworn in. Critics said the government repeatedly evaluated the flood situation incorrectly, despite constant public assurances that it could deal with the disaster. The government, they said, failed to prevent flooding in many crucial areas, particularly industrial estates.

5 August 2011

Yingluck Shinawatra becomes the country’s first female leader

Thailand wrote a new chapter in its political history after Yingluck Shinawatra became the country’s first female leader, following Pheu Thai Party’s victory in the July 3 election.

The key man behind the party’s success was none other than ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Ms Yingluck’s brother. After having once made his brother-in-law, Somchai Wongsawat, prime minister—albeit little more than a puppet PM—Thaksin successfully pushed for his youngest sister to take the government helm.

Thaksin’s past successes in the political arena were used to drum up support for Ms Yingluck and sympathy for the dissolved People’s Power Party, which was resurrected as Pheu Thai.

‘Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai acts’ and ‘Love Thaksin, vote for Yingluck’ were examples of how the party wooed pro-Thaksin voters to support Pheu Thai, with the result that the party won with 265 of the 500 seats. The lasting political power of Thaksin not only brought victory to Ms Yingluck but criticism that she was merely another puppet.

The flood disaster, the first test of her premiership, came right after her government was sworn in. Critics said the government repeatedly evaluated the flood situation incorrectly, despite constant public assurances that it could deal with the disaster. The government, they said, failed to prevent flooding in many crucial areas, particularly industrial estates.