Thailand’s parliament has selected Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister, days after Thailand’s Constitutional Court removed the former Thai leader over alleged ethics violations. At 37 years old, Paetongtarn is the youngest person to lead Thailand and the fourth member of the Shinawatra family selected as prime minister. Her father, billionaire tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, spent 15 years in exile after his ouster in a military coup in 2006; he returned to Thailand last year.
Last week, Thailand’s Constitutional Court disbanded the progressive Move Forward opposition party, saying it broke laws that bar public criticism of Thailand’s royal family. The party had been critical of Thailand’s powerful military, as well as unelected and unaccountable institutions including the Thai Senate and Constitutional Court.