Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing a no-confidence motion in parliament on Monday, with the opposition accusing her of being overly influenced by her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and mismanaging the country.
Paetongtarn, who assumed office last year, is expected to survive the no-confidence vote on Wednesday, backed by her ruling coalition, which holds a majority in the House of Representatives.
Opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut criticized Paetongtarn for failing to address the country’s ongoing issues, such as the struggling economy, air pollution, crime, and corruption. He argued that her government was serving the interests of her family, particularly her father, Thaksin, a controversial figure who remains popular among many in Thailand.
Paetongtarn leads the Pheu Thai Party, a political group closely linked to her father. Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and later fled into exile, has returned to Thailand. His presence has been a central point in Thailand’s ongoing political divisions, with his supporters from the rural poor clashing with royalists, the military, and urban elites who accuse him of undermining their influence and the monarchy.
Natthapong Ruengpanyawut leads the People’s Party, a revived version of the progressive, reformist Move Forward Party. The party won the most seats in Thailand’s 2023 general election but was unable to take power due to strong opposition from the conservative establishment and was eventually ordered to dissolve.
Natthapong criticized the formation of the current ruling coalition, claiming that it was a political compromise to facilitate Thaksin Shinawatra’s return to Thailand, with Pheu Thai partnering with its former conservative rivals.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra was also accused by Prawit Wongsuwan, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party (Pheu Thai’s former coalition partner), of falsely declaring her assets, a claim she has denied.
