Yingluck Shinawatra made history in 2011 when she became Thailand’s first female prime minister. Her rise to power and subsequent fall from grace reflect the complex and often turbulent nature of Thai politics in the 21st century.
Born in 1967 to a wealthy family in Chiang Mai, Yingluck is the youngest sister of Thaksin Shinawatra, another former Thai prime minister. Before entering politics, she had a successful career in business, serving as an executive in several companies within her family’s corporate empire.
Yingluck’s political career began in earnest when she was chosen to lead the Pheu Thai Party in the 2011 general election. Despite her lack of political experience, she led the party to a landslide victory, capitalizing on her family name and the enduring popularity of her brother among rural voters.
As prime minister, Yingluck implemented populist policies aimed at reducing income inequality and boosting economic growth. These included a controversial rice subsidy scheme, infrastructure development projects, and increased minimum wages. While these policies were popular among her rural support base, they faced criticism from opposition parties and urban elites.
Yingluck’s tenure was marked by increasing political polarization and protests. The opposition accused her of being a proxy for her exiled brother Thaksin, who had been ousted in a 2006 military coup. Tensions came to a head in late 2013 when her government attempted to pass a political amnesty bill that would have allowed Thaksin to return to Thailand without facing criminal charges.
The move sparked massive street protests in Bangkok, leading Yingluck to dissolve parliament and call for new elections. However, the opposition boycotted the polls, and the constitutional court subsequently annulled the election results. In May 2014, Yingluck was removed from office by another court decision, and shortly after, the military staged a coup, ending her administration.
In the aftermath, Yingluck faced criminal charges related to her government’s rice subsidy scheme. In 2017, she fled Thailand shortly before a court was due to deliver a verdict in her trial, joining her brother in self-imposed exile.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s story illustrates the ongoing struggles in Thai politics between traditional elites and populist forces, as well as the challenges faced by women in leadership positions in Southeast Asia. While her time as prime minister was brief and controversial, it remains a significant milestone in Thailand’s political history.
newshub
