Generational change has swept through the ruling Pheu Thai Party leadership, with new executives including its youngest-ever leader, 37-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra, mainly in their 30s or 40s.
Party seniors in the previous executive board explained it was time to pass the baton to younger politicians – a move analysts view as an attempt to compete with the opposition Move Forward Party, whose shock election win in May was attributed to its popularity among young voters. Prior to 2023, Shinawatra-linked parties had won the largest share of the vote at every general election since 2001.
Just a few days before Pheu Thai’s general meeting to elect a new executive board on October 27, outgoing party secretary-general Prasert Chantararuangthong said it was time for the new generation of politicians to take charge. Phumtham Wechayachai, then-acting deputy party leader, confirmed Pheu Thai was ready to pass the torch on. After the meeting, he dismissed criticism that Paetongtarn had been elected due to her surname, insisting she had been chosen as the new leader for her ability.
Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of Pheu Thai patriarch Thaksin Shinawatra, said the new-gen leadership was launching a “great and important mission” to ensure the party would win the popularity contest among voters.
With its younger leadership, Pheu Thai is expected to compete strongly with Move Forward – which is also run by relatively youthful politicians – for support from young voters.
Familiar family names
The generational shift is illustrated by the fact that most new Pheu Thai executives are around the same age as the children of their predecessors.
The previous executive board was dominated by figures in their early or late 60s, including former party leader Cholnan Srikaew (62), former secretary-general Prasert (63), and ex-deputy leader Phumtham (69).
Many new Pheu Thai executives are actually children or close relatives of veteran party figures.
Among them is new secretary-general and party number 2 Sorawong Thienthong. He is the eldest son of veteran politician Sanoh, a former deputy interior minister who has been close to Thaksin for decades.
Sorawong, 48, is a four-time MP from Sa Kaeo province and a former deputy public health minister. Upon becoming the secretary general, he said that it was time for people of his generation to run Pheu Thai and “make it stronger”.
He claimed young politicians like himself and Paetongtarn had benefited from growing up in political families. “We have learned and absorbed facts about the people’s lives and livelihoods that inspire us to work hard for them,” he said.
Another new Pheu Thai executive with a familiar surname is Julapun Amornvivat. The 48-year-old has been appointed as a deputy party leader while also serving as a deputy finance minister in the Pheu Thai-led government.
His father, Sompong – a veteran politician with multiple ministerial portfolios under his belt – served as Pheu Thai leader from July 2019 to October 2021.
Another new Pheu Thai deputy leader, Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit, 43, is a nephew of Transport Minister Suriya, who is a senior figure in the ruling party.
New executive board member Patchara Chantararuangthong is the son of former party secretary-general Prasert. Fellow new board member Chanin Rungtanakiat, 34, is the son of Kasem Rungtanakiat, who served as a senior executive of Pheu Thai’s predecessor, Thai Rak Thai, which was founded and led by Thaksin.
New executive Jiraporn Sindhuprai, 36, is the eldest daughter of Nisit, who is an ex-MP and a former executive of the now-defunct People Power Party, another Thaksin proxy.
Her new colleague Saran Timsuwan, 32, is the son of former Pheu Thai MP Thanathep.
Youngest executive just 28
The youngest executive on Pheu Thai’s board is Voravong Vorapanya, 28.
Voravong is a nephew of the late Niyom Vorapanya, a former Thaksin-affiliated MP for the Thai Rak Thai, People Power, and Pheu Thai parties. Voravong’s father, Prasert, is a former elected senator who represented Lop Buri province.
Other new party executives in their 40s include Paopoom Rojanasakul (40), Theerarat Samrejvanich (44), Linthiporn Warinwatchararot (45), and Ochit Kiatkongchuchai (48).
A handful of new party executives are in their 50s, including the new spokesman Danuporn Punnakanta, who is 52, and new treasurer Thawisak Anakkhaphan, 58. The only board member aged over 60 is Chusak Sirinil, a new deputy party leader. Chusak is 75.
By Thai PBS World’s Political Desk
