The China Mail - Paetongtarn Shinawatra: glamorous Thai PM felled by Cambodia row

Now, barely a year after becoming prime minister, she finds herself in a position all too familiar to the Shinawatra family -- kicked out of office early by court order.

The 39-year-old accepted King Maha Vajiralongkorn's command to form a government last August, just two years after she entered politics in the shadow of the clan patriarch and ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn, Thailand's youngest premier and the third Shinawatra to hold the role, was seen by her Pheu Thai party as someone capable of rejuvenating their ailing image.

But she was suspended by the Constitutional Court in July as it opened a probe into her conduct in a leaked phone call in which she discussed a border spat with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

Paetongtarn addressed Hun Sen as "uncle" during the call and denigrated a Thai military commander as tensions rose between the two countries.

It sparked a furious reaction, particularly from conservatives who accused her of kowtowing to Cambodia and undermining the military.

Her critics said it showed her naivety and inexperience in dealing with Hun Sen, one of the region's wiliest political operators.

Throwing her out of office, the Constitutional Court said her actions "led to a loss of trust, prioritising personal interest over national interest".

- Rejuvenated image -

Paetongtarn helped run the hotel arm of the ultra-rich Shinawatra family's business empire before entering politics in 2022.

She was a near-constant presence on the campaign trail for the 2023 election despite being pregnant, 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, a rare reversal for a political movement that had dominated the ballot box for two decades.

It was the first time a Shinawatra party was beaten in a national vote, but they eventually took power in an alliance with pro-military parties formerly opposed to the dynasty.

Paetongtarn did not initially lead the new government but took over after former businessman Srettha Thavisin was kicked out by a court order after an ethics probe 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 and won two elections before being ousted in a 2006 coup.

Known in Thailand by her nickname Ung Ing, she grew up in the Thai capital and studied hotel management in Britain.

She married commercial pilot Pidok Sooksawas in 2019, celebrating with two glitzy receptions -- one in Bangkok and one in Hong Kong that was 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.

Paetongtarn's youth and energy stood out in a Thai political scene long dominated by strait-laced elderly men, her taste for vibrant designer clothes marking a contrast to the staid suits and uniforms of her rivals.

Thailand's pro-royalist, pro-military conservative elite has long disliked Thaksin and suspected him of effectively running Pheu Thai from afar, even while in exile.

His sister Yingluck's arrival in power in 2011 -- before her premiership was scuttled in 2014 by a court ruling, as well as Paetongtarn's elevation to high office later, did little to dampen those suspicions.

It also didn't help that Paetongtarn had described herself in the past as Thaksin's "little girl" and said she drew strength from his support and guidance.

H.Ng--ThChM