THAILAND’S FIRST WOMAN PRIME MINISTER

THAILAND’S FIRST

WOMAN PRIME MINISTER

Yingluck Shinawatra Friday, 5TH August, 2011, became Thailand's first woman prime minister, about a month after she led her Pheu Thai party to a major victory in the parliamentary elections. Shinawatra, sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, won the support of 296 members in the 500-member parliament. She was expected to receive endorsement on her appointment from King Bhumibol Adulyadej in a special ceremony at the Pheu Thai party headquarters later Friday, Xinhua reported. The 44-year-old former businesswoman is the youngest Thai prime minister, and probably the youngest woman prime minister in the world.

Although she has no political experience, Shinawatra led the Pheu Thai party, formed by her brother, to a major victory in the July 3 election. It bagged 265 seats. On her victory, she said: "My father was a politician, and so were my brothers, so I've known about politics since I was a kid." Born in Thailand's northern Chiangmai province June 27, 1967, Shinawatra took her Master's degree in political science from the Kentucky State University, US. She is married to businessman Anusorn Amornchat and has a son. Before entering politics, she was pursuing a corporate career, formerly as a senior executive at Advanced Info Service (AIS), the telecommunications firm her brother founded, and managing director of SC Asset Company, a family firm involved in property.

                                                              Prof. John Kurakar