BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s influential former premier Thaksin Shinawatra has praised ally and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin as a suitable leader during a “transition” while highlighting his own daughter’s credentials as head of the ruling Pheu Thai party.
The 74-year-old billionaire founder of the populist juggernaut Pheu Thai has seen his family’s parties win all but one election since 2001, and loomed large over politics throughout his 15 years in self-imposed exile to avoid jail.
“(Srettha) is well-placed during the transition in politics where there are many parties … he will do well because of his experience,” Thaksin said in a pre-recorded message shown at the Pheu Thai party annual meeting on Friday.
Thaksin made a dramatic return from exile in August to face an eight-year jail sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest. That was commuted to one year by the king and Thaksin was released from hospital detention on parole in February.
His return and relatively short time in detention fuelled speculation Thaksin had struck a deal with his rivals in the conservative establishment and royalist military, which ousted Shinawatra parties in coups in 2006 and 2014. Thaksin and his allies have denied any such deal.
Though Thaksin maintains he is officially retired, many people in Thailand expect he will wield significant political influence, prompting questions about the role and future of political novice Srettha, who in August replaced former coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha after nine years in power.
Asked about Thaksin’s influence, real estate mogul Srettha has insisted he is in charge of the government.
Thaksin’s daughter and Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn, 37, and Srettha were both pre-election nominees for premier.
Thaksin touted Paetongtarn’s abilities and said she would steer Pheu Thai to victory in the next election in 2027.
“Ung Ing can lead the team and change the game,” Thaksin said in the message, referring to her by her nickname.
“She has strength and endurance from her mother and is outgoing and political like me … If I can do it and she has my DNA and her mother’s – she will do better than me.”
(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty)
