Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Sunday formally appointed Paithongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister, making the daughter of billionaire and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra the country's youngest ever leader.
Paithongtarn's appointment comes after her predecessor, Serint Thavisin, was ousted by the Constitutional Court for breaking rules by appointing a convicted criminal to his cabinet.
She is the third Shinawatra to hold the post after her father (2001-2006) and aunt Yingluck (2011-2014), both of whom were ousted in military coups.
Paithongtarn Shinawatra received the royal letter of appointment at a television station headquarters at 9:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) on Sunday.
She called on all her countrymen to work together to boost the country's ailing economy, which is struggling to recover from the effects of the covid pandemic.
"As prime minister, I will work with the House of Representatives with open arms and openness to all ideas to develop the country," she said after the ceremony.
"This is a task that cannot be done by the prime minister alone. I hope I can coordinate the strength of all generations, all talented people in Thailand, from the government, the coalition, civil servants, the private sector and the people," she told Thais.
Thaksin Shinawatra attended the ceremony, standing in the front row next to Paithongtarn's husband.
The 75-year-old former prime minister said his daughter "has to work hard. Her strength is that she is young, she can ask anyone for help. She is humble.
Paithongtarn heads a coalition government led by her Pheu Thai Party, the latest formation to emerge from the political movement launched by her father in the early 2000s, but which also includes pro-military groups known for their long-standing opposition to Thaksin.
Srita's dismissal on Wednesday was the latest round in an ongoing battle between the royalist military and populist parties linked to Paithongtarn's father, a telecommunications tycoon and former owner of Manchester City Football Club.
The Phyo Thai Party chose its candidate on Thursday. None of the other 10 parties in the party-led coalition has put forward a candidate. She was formally elected by lawmakers on Friday.
Paithongtarn ran her family business group's hotel chain before entering politics in late 2022. She was an almost constant presence in last year's general election campaign.
The progressive Forward Party won the most votes in that election, promising to overhaul royal prerogative laws and end powerful business monopolies.
But a number of senators grew concerned and blocked Forward's attempt to form a government.
The Pheo Thai Party then formed a coalition with pro-military parties that had previously been staunch opponents of Thaksin and his supporters, leading to the election of Srita.
Less than a year later, Srita became the third Pheu Thai prime minister to be ousted by the Constitutional Court.
The prime minister will be scrutinized for any signs of influence on her decisions by her father, the most influential politician in modern Thai history, but also one of the most controversial.
She said Sunday that she would seek her father's advice whenever necessary, while stressing her independence and her own ideas.
Asked if he would serve as an adviser to the new prime minister, Thaksin said: "Not necessarily. I am old. I am 75 years old, she can ask me anything."
Thaksin Shinawatra has left his mark on the kingdom's politics for two decades.
He reshaped Thai politics in the early 2000s with populist policies that won him and his party lasting loyalty from the rural population and two elections.
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