Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is heiress to one of the kingdom's most enduring political dynasties, but has been suspended by a Constitutional Court after less than a year in office.
The 38-year-old accepted King Maha Vajiralongkorn's command to form a government last August, barely two years after she entered politics in the shadow of the clan patriarch and ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The country's youngest premier and the third Shinawatra to hold the role, Paetongtarn was touted by her Pheu Thai party as a figure capable of rejuvenating their ailing image.
But she was suspended by the country's Constitutional Court on Tuesday as it opened a probe into her ethics following a leaked call discussing a border spat with Cambodian former leader Hun Sen.
Rejuvenated Image
Paetongtarn helped run the hotel arm of the ultra-rich Shinawatra family's business empire before entering politics in late 2022.
Despite being pregnant, she was a near-constant presence on the campaign trail for 2023's election, regularly leading rallies in the stifling tropical heat.
She gave birth to a son just two weeks before polling day, hailing the baby as her "secret power" and swiftly getting back to canvassing.
But the vote proved a disappointment, as Pheu Thai finished second.
It was the first time a Shinawatra party was beaten in a national vote, but they triumphed eventually in alliance with pro-military parties formerly opposed to Paetongtarn's dynasty.
Paetongtarn did not initially lead the party's government but took over after former businessman Srettha Thavisinwas kicked out by a court order last year.
Her Father's Daughter
Born in Bangkok on August 21, 1986, Paetongtarn is the third and youngest child of Thaksin Shinawatra, a police officer turned telecoms tycoon who revolutionised Thai politics in the early 2000s, winning two elections before being ousted in a coup in 2006.
Known in Thailand by her nickname Ung Ing, she grew up in Bangkok and studied hotel management in Britain.
In 2019 she married commercial pilot Pidok Sooksawas, celebrating with two glitzy receptions -- one in the Thai capital, and one in Hong Kong attended by her father, then in self-exile.
The couple have two children, who feature regularly in playful photos Paetongtarn posts on her social media accounts, where she has more than a million followers.
In Thailand's political scene, long dominated by strait-laced elderly men, Paetongtarn's youth and energy stood out -- her taste for vibrant designer clothes marking a striking contrast to the staid suits and uniforms of her rivals.
But her efforts to avoid being seen as too much under the influence of her father -- who critics among Thai elites have long suspected of effectively running Pheu Thai from afar -- eventually cracked.
As the Constitutional Court slapped Paetongtarn with its ruling Tuesday, Thaksin also fought a separate legal battle, accused of breaching strict Thailand's strict royal defamation laws.
In the past Paetongtarn has said she is still Thaksin's "little girl" and draws strength from his support and guidance. – AFP/RSS
