Jump to content

Yingluck Shinawatra: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
Suasysar (talk | contribs)
173 edits
m correct IPA
Line 19: Line 19:
|religion = [[Theravada|Theravada Buddhism]]
|religion = [[Theravada|Theravada Buddhism]]
}}
}}
'''Yingluck Shinawatra''' ({{lang-th|ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร}}, {{RTGS|Yinglak Chinnawat}}, {{IPA-th|jîŋ.lák tɕʰīn.nā.wát}}; born 21 June 1967) is a Thai politician, frontrunner of [[Pheu Thai Party]], and [[Prime Minister of Thailand|Prime Minister]]-designate of [[Thailand]] following the [[Thai general election, 2011|2011 general election]].
'''Yingluck Shinawatra''' ({{lang-th|ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร}}, {{RTGS|Yinglak Chinnawat}}, {{IPA-th|jîŋ.lák tɕʰīn.ná.wát}}; born 21 June 1967) is a Thai politician, frontrunner of [[Pheu Thai Party]], and [[Prime Minister of Thailand|Prime Minister]]-designate of [[Thailand]] following the [[Thai general election, 2011|2011 general election]].


Born in [[Chiang Mai]], Yingluck Shinawatra earned a bachelors degree from [[Chiang Mai University]] and a masters degree from [[Kentucky State University]], both in [[public administration]].<ref name=ChinaPostYingluck>{{cite web|title=Yingluck to be 'clone' of ex-PM brother|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/thailand/2011/07/04/308536/Yingluck-to.htm|publisher=China Post|accessdate=5 July 2011}}</ref> She became an executive in the [[Shin Corporation|businesses]] founded by her elder brother, [[Thaksin Shinawatra]], and later became the president of property developer SC Asset and managing director of [[Advanced Info Service]]. Meanwhile, her brother Thaksin became Prime Minister, was overthrown in a [[2006 Thailand coup|military coup]], and went into self-imposed exile after a tribunal convicted him of abuse of power.
Born in [[Chiang Mai]], Yingluck Shinawatra earned a bachelors degree from [[Chiang Mai University]] and a masters degree from [[Kentucky State University]], both in [[public administration]].<ref name=ChinaPostYingluck>{{cite web|title=Yingluck to be 'clone' of ex-PM brother|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/thailand/2011/07/04/308536/Yingluck-to.htm|publisher=China Post|accessdate=5 July 2011}}</ref> She became an executive in the [[Shin Corporation|businesses]] founded by her elder brother, [[Thaksin Shinawatra]], and later became the president of property developer SC Asset and managing director of [[Advanced Info Service]]. Meanwhile, her brother Thaksin became Prime Minister, was overthrown in a [[2006 Thailand coup|military coup]], and went into self-imposed exile after a tribunal convicted him of abuse of power.

Revision as of 05:56, 7 July 2011

Yingluck Shinawatra
ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร
Prime Minister of Thailand
Designate
Assuming office
July 2011
MonarchBhumibol Adulyadej
SucceedingAbhisit Vejjajiva
Personal details
Born (1967-06-21) 21 June 1967 (age 57)
San Kamphaeng, Thailand
Political partyPheu Thai Party
SpouseAnusorn Amornchat
ChildrenSupasek Amornchat
Alma materChiang Mai University
Kentucky State University

Yingluck Shinawatra (Thai: ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร, RTGS: Yinglak Chinnawat, Thai pronunciation: [jîŋ.lák tɕʰīn.ná.wát]; born 21 June 1967) is a Thai politician, frontrunner of Pheu Thai Party, and Prime Minister-designate of Thailand following the 2011 general election.

Born in Chiang Mai, Yingluck Shinawatra earned a bachelors degree from Chiang Mai University and a masters degree from Kentucky State University, both in public administration.[1] She became an executive in the businesses founded by her elder brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, and later became the president of property developer SC Asset and managing director of Advanced Info Service. Meanwhile, her brother Thaksin became Prime Minister, was overthrown in a military coup, and went into self-imposed exile after a tribunal convicted him of abuse of power.

In May 2011, the Pheu Thai Party, which maintained close ties to Thaksin, nominated Yingluck as their candidate for Prime Minister in the 2011 general election.[2][3] Preliminary election result indicated that Pheu Thai won a landslide victory 265 out of 500-seat House of Representatives of Thailand[4], making it only the second time in Thai political history that a single party won a parliamentary majority. Yingluck is set to become Thailand's first female Prime Minister.[5]

Early life and business career

Yingluck's great-grandfather, Seng Sae Khu, was a Chinese immigrant from Guangdong who arrived in Siam in the 1860s and settled in Chiang Mai in 1908. His eldest son, Chiang Sae Khu, was born in Chanthaburi in 1890 and married a Thai woman, called Saeng Somna. Chiang's eldest son, Sak, adopted the Thai surname Shinawatra ("routinely appropriate action") in 1938. The Khu/Shinawatra later founded Shinawatra Silks and then moved into finance, construction and property development. Yingluck's father, Lert, was born in Chiang Mai in 1919 and married Yindi Ramingwong (a daughter of Princess Jantip Na Chiang Mai). In 1968, Lert Shinawatra entered politics and became an MP for Chiang Mai and deputy leader of the now-defunct Liberal party.[6] Lert quit politics in 1976 and opened a coffee shop, grew oranges and flowers in Chiang Mai's San Kamphaeng district, and opened two movie theatres, a gas station, and a car and motorcycle dealership.

Yingluck Shinawatra is the youngest of nine children of Lert and Yindee. She was given the nickname Pou (Thai: ปู, meaning "crab"). Yingluck grew up in Chiang Mai and attended Regina Coeli College, a girls school, at the lower secondary level and then Yupparaj College, a co-ed school, at the upper secondary level.[7] She graduated with a BA degree from the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration, Chiang Mai University in 1988 and earned a MPA degree (specialization in Management Information Systems) from Kentucky State University in 1991.

Yingluck started her career as a sales and marketing intern at Shinawatra Directories Co., Ltd., a telephone directory business founded by AT&T International. She later became the director of procurement and the director of operations. In 1994, she became the general manager of Rainbow Media, a subsidiary of International Broadcasting Corporation (which later became TrueVisions). She left as Deputy CEO of IBC in 2002, and became the CEO of Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand's largest mobile phone operator.[8] After the sale of Shin Corporation (the parent company of AIS) to Temasek Holdings, Yingluck resigned from AIS, but remained Managing Director of SC Asset Co Ltd, the Shinawatra family property development company. She was investigated by Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission regarding possible insider trading after she sold shares of her AIS stock for a profit prior to the sale of the Shin Corporation to Temasek Holdings. No charges were filed.[9] Yingluck Shinawatra is also a committee member and secretary of the Thaicom Foundation.

She has one son, Supasek, with her common-law husband, Anusorn Amornchat. Anusorn was an executive of the Charoen Pokphand Group and managing director of M Link Asia Corporation PCL.[10] Her sister, Yaowapa Wongsawat, is the wife of former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat.

Political career

Establishment of the Pheu Thai Party

After the Thai Rak Thai party was shut down and its executive board banned from politics after the 2006 military coup, many former Thai Rak Thai MPs established the People's Power Party. After the People's Power party was shut down and its executive board banned from politics by the Constitutional Court on 2 December 2008, former MPs established the Pheu Thai Party.[11] Yingluck was asked to become the leader of the party but she declined, stating that she did not want to be Prime Minister and wanted to focus on business.[12] Yongyuth Wichaidit became the leader of the party.

US diplomatic cables leaked in 2011 revealed that during a 9 September 2009 meeting, former Deputy Prime Minister and "close Thaksin ally" Sompong Amornvivat told Ambassador to Thailand Eric John that he did not envision a big role for Yingluck in the Pheu Thai Party, and that "Thaksin himself was not eager to raise her profile within the party, and was more focused on finding ways to keep his own hand active in politics." However, in a subsequent cable dated 25 November 2009, the Ambassador noted that in a meeting with Yingluck, she spoke with confidence about the "operations, strategy and goals" of the Pheu Thai party and seemed "far more poised" than in previous meetings. The cable cited Yingluck saying that, "Someone could easily emerge relatively late in the game to take the reins of the party and serve as the next Prime Minister."[13]

Pheu Thai Party Leadership

Yongyuth had stated his intention of resigning as party leader in late 2010. Speculation about a snap election in early 2011 heightened internal debate with regards to the party leadership. The front runners were Yingluck and Mingkwan Sangsuwan, who had led the opposition in an unsuccessful no confidence motion against the Democrat Party-led coalition government. As late as 28 January 2011, Yingluck continued to rule out the party leadership, repeating that she wanted to focus on business. However, she was endorsed by veteran politician Chalerm Ubumrung.[14] On 16 May 2011, the Pheu Thai party voted to name Yingluck as the party's top candidate under the party list system (and presumably be the party's nominee for Prime Minister) for parliamentary election scheduled for 3 July. However, she was not made party leader and she did not join the executive board of the party. The ultimate decision was made by Thaksin. "Some said she is my nominee. That's not true. But it can be said that Yingluck is my clone... Another important thing is that Ms Yingluck is my sister and she can make decisions for me. She can say 'yes' or 'no' on my behalf," Thaksin noted in an interview.[15]

2011 Election and Rise to Premiership

Election campaign

Yingluck's main campaign theme was reconciliation following the extended political crisis from 2008 to 2010, culminating in the military's 2010 crackdown on protesters which left nearly a hundred protesters dead and thousands injured. She promised to empower the Independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (ITRC), the panel that the Democrat Party-led government had set up to investigate the killings.[16] The ITRC had complained that its work was hampered by the military and the government.[17] Yingluck also proposed a general amnesty for all major politically-motivated incidents that had taken place since the 2006 coup, which could include the coup itself, court rulings banning Thai Rak Thai and People's Power Party leaders from seeking office, the PAD seizures of Government House and Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi Airports, the military crackdowns of 2009 and 2010, and the conviction of Thaksin Shinawatra for abuse of power.[18] The proposal was fiercely attacked by the government, who claimed that it would specifically give amnesty to Thaksin, and also result in the return to him of the 46 billion baht of his wealth that that the government had seized as a penalty. However, Yingluck denied that the return of seized assets was a priority for the Pheu Thai party, and repeated that she had no intention of giving amnesty to any one person. Abhisit claimed outright that Yingluck was lying and that amnesty to Thaksin actually was the Pheu Thai party's policy.[19] The government also blamed The government blamed Pheu Thai for the bloodshed during the military crackdown.[20]

Yingluck described a 2020 vision for the elimination of poverty.[21] She promised to reduce the corporate income tax from 30% to 23% and then 20% by 2013 and to raise the minimum wage to 300 baht per day and the minimum wage for university graduates to 15,000 baht per month. Her agricultural policies included improving operating cashflow to farmers and providing loans of up to 70% of expected income, based on a guaranteed rice price of 15,000 baht/ton.[22] She also planned to provide free public WiFi and a tablet PC to every schoolchild (a Thai Rak Thai Party plan to provide one laptop per child was cancelled after the 2006 military coup).[23]

The Democrat Party derided her chances in the election. "The novelty will wear off," claimed a Party executive.[24] When Democrat Party Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij was asked about his thoughts on her, his only reply was, "She’s quite good-looking."[25]

Nearly all pre-election polls predicted a large victory for Pheu Thai.[26]

Election results and the establishment of the government

Exit polls indicated a landslide victory, with Pheu Thai projected to win as many as 310 seats in the 500-seat parliament.[27] The official result was 265 seats for Pheu Thai, with a 65.99% turnout rate (nearly 31 million voters). There were 3 million invalid ballots; the large number was cited as the cause for the difference between the exit poll results and the official count.[28] It was only the 2nd time in Thai history where a single party won more than half of the seats in parliament; the first time was in 2005 with Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party.

United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon welcomed the outcome of the elections and called for all parties to "respect the will of the Thai people as expressed through the democratic process." Aung San Su Kyi congratulated Yingluck, praised the election as “free and fair,” and expected “the ties between Myanmar and Thailand to get better.”[29][30]

Yingluck quickly formed a coalition with the Chartthaipattana (19 seats), Chart Thai Pattana Puea Pandin (7 seats), and Palang Chon (7 seats), and Mahachon (1 seat) parties, giving her a total of 299 seats.[31] Outgoing Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon said that he accepted the election results, and after having talked with military leaders, would not to intervene.[32] Army Commander Prayuth Chanocha, normally a vocal critic of Pheu Thai, refused to give any interviews.[33]

In her first post-election Facebook post, she said that her top priorities were peoples' livelihoods and national reconciliation. She promised truth, justice, and rule of law for all, and asked people to work together to achieve her 2020 vision.[34]

Criticisms

Funding support to the Red Shirts

Ms. Shinawatra’s bank account was among 86 bank accounts that the government accused of being used to fund the Red Shirt protesters during their demonstrations in 2010. However, the government did not pursue any legal case against her. The Department for Special Investigation found that from 28 April 2009 to May 2010, 150 million baht was deposited into her account while 166 million baht was withdrawn. On 28 April 2010 alone, 144 million baht was withdrawn.[35] The military's April crackdown on the protestors killed nearly a hundred civilians and wounded thousands.[36]

Wealth concealment

Ms. Shinawatra received 0.68% of Shin Corp shares out of the 46.87% that Thaksin and his then wife held in 1999. The military junta-appointed Assets Examination Committee claimed that Yingluck made up false transactions and that “there were no real payments for each Ample Rich Co.,Ltd shares sold” and “the transactions were made at a cost basis of par value in order to avoid income taxes, and all the dividends paid out by Shin to those people were transferred to [her sister-in-law] Potjaman's bank accounts”. However, the AEC did not pursue a case against her.[37] Yingluck claimed that “her family has been as a victim of political persecution”.[38]

References

  1. ^ "Yingluck to be 'clone' of ex-PM brother". China Post. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  2. ^ Kate, Daniel Ten (16 May 2011). "Sister of Fugitive Ex-Premier Thaksin Chosen as Leader of Opposition Party". Bangkok. Bloomberg L.P.
  3. ^ Hookway, James (17 May 2011). "New Thai Candidacy". The Wall Street Journal. Bangkok.
  4. ^ "Official balloting outcome". The Nation (Thailand). Bangkok. 5 July 2011.
  5. ^ "Yingluck, Pheu Thai win in a landslide" Bangkok Post 3 July 2011
  6. ^ The Economist, Too hot for the generals, 15 June 2011
  7. ^ เส้นทางชีวิตผู้หญิงแกร่ง ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร, 4 June 2011
  8. ^ Bangkok Post, Pheu Thai picks Yingluck for PM, 16 June 2011
  9. ^ Srimalee, Somluck (2 February 2007). "SC Asset to invest Bt2 billion in 2007". The Nation. Thailand.
  10. ^ Varinthorn.com, อภิสิทธิ์ กับ ยิ่งลักษณ์ นายกแบบไหนที่ประชาชนต้องการ, 6 June 2011
  11. ^ "Thai premier banned from politics, ruling party dissolved: court". Bangkok. AFP. 1 December 2008.
  12. ^ "ก๊ก"มิ่งขวัญ"ขวาง"ยิ่งลักษณ์"นั่งหัวหน้า พท. อ้าง"ผู้จัดการอำนาจ"ไม่ปลื้มนามสกุล"ชินวัตร"". Matichon Online (in Thai). Bangkok. 6 January 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ AP, US envoy in 2009 forecast rise of Thaksin's sister, 14 June 2011
  14. ^ "Yingluck rules out taking Puea Thai helm", Bangkok Post, 28 January 2011
  15. ^ "Yingluck takes centre stage", Bangkok Post, 17 May 2011
  16. ^ Straits Times, Yingluck: We'll reconcile, 3 July 2011
  17. ^ Bangkok Post, One year on, truth about crackdown remains elusive, 21 April 2011
  18. ^ Xin Hua, Profile: Yingluck Shinawatra, 4 July 2011
  19. ^ Abhisit Vejjajiva, จากใจอภิสิทธิ์ถึงคนไทยทั้งประเทศ
  20. ^ Straits Times, Abhisit: It's us or chaos, 3 July 2011
  21. ^ Daily News, ยิ่งลักษณ์เปิดวิสัยทัศน์ 2020 คนไทยหายจน, 2 June 2011
  22. ^ Bangkok Post, “Credit cards for farmers and more”, 27 May 27 2011
  23. ^ Yingluck Shinawatra, วิเคราะห์ โครงการคอมพิวเตอร์มือถือสำหรับนักเรียนทุกคน (One Tablet PC Per Child) ของพรรคเพื่อไทย, Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 5:46pm
  24. ^ "Too hot for the generals", The Economist, 15 June 2011
  25. ^ Exclusive: Pheu Thai are getting ready to call foul – Thai Finance Minister Korn, Asian Correspondent, 18 June 2011
  26. ^ Abhisit concedes Democrats are behind Puea Thai, Asian Correspondent, 16 June 2011
  27. ^ "Yingluck Shinawatra opposition leads Thai exit polls". BBC News. 3 July 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  28. ^ NNA News, [1], 3 กค. 2554 20:09 น.
  29. ^ Reuters, Myanmar's Suu Kyi keeps low profile on upcountry trip, 5 July 2011
  30. ^ Bangkok Post, Suu Kyi welcomes outcome, 6 July 2011
  31. ^ Jagran Post, Yingluck to lead Thailand coalition; military accepts poll verdict, 5 July 2011
  32. ^ Bangkok Post, Gen Prawit: Army accepts election, 4 July 2011
  33. ^ Matichon, [2], 4 July 2011
  34. ^ Facebook.com, Yingluck Shinawatra wall posting, 9.11am and 10.19am 4 July, 2011
  35. ^ "ดีเอสไอโชว์ผลงานตรวจท่อน้ำเลี้ยงเสื้อแดง". Post Today (in Thai). Bangkok. Siam Intelligence. 17 June 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ "สื่อนอกตะลึงอีก! ที่นี่สมรภูมิกรุงเทพฯ". Khaosod (in Thai). Bangkok. 16 May 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ "Special Report: Thaksin´s 76 bn THB asset seizure case". Bangkok. NNT. 10 February 2010.
  38. ^ Taengkhio, Kesinee (21 December 2009). "Thaksin assets case verdict due in January". The Nation (Thailand). Bangkok.
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Thailand
Designate
2011–present 		Incumbent

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yingluck_Shinawatra&oldid=438187165"