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| File:Yingluck Shinawatra Election poster 2011.png | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1967-06-21) 21 June 1967 (age 57) San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai, Thailand |
| Political party | Pheu Thai Party |
| Spouse | Anusorn Amornchat |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Chiang Mai University Kentucky State University |
Yingluck Shinawatra (Template:Lang-th, RTGS: Yinglak Chinnawat; born 21 June 1967) is the current president of Bangkok-based property developer SC Asset Co., Ltd., and the youngest sister of Thailand's fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In May 2011, Thailand's opposition Pheu Thai Party -- which maintains close ties with the ousted premier—nominated Yingluck as their candidate for prime minister in the 2011 elections.
Early life and career
Yingluck is the youngest of nine children from Mr. Lert and Mrs. Yindee Shinawatra (daughter of Princess Jantip (Na Chiangmai) Raminkwong). She graduated with a bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration, Chiang Mai University in 1988 and a master's degree in Political Science from Kentucky State University, United States, in 1990.
Yingluck worked at Shinawatra Directories Co., Ltd. and was the Managing Director of Advanced Info Service PCL, a mobile phone provider formerly controlled by Thaksin, before its sale to investors. She was investigated by Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission regarding possible insider training after she sold shares of her AIS stock for a profit prior to the sale of the Shin Corporation to Temasek Holdings.
Yingluck is also a committee member and secretary of the Thaicom Foundation. She married Mr. Anusorn Amornchat, Managing Director of Mlink Asia Corporation Co., Ltd. which is her sister's – Yaowapa Wongsawat – company without registration and has one son.
Political career
Pheu Thai Party
After People's Power Party, a political party that has a strong tied to ex-Prime Minister Thaksin, had been dissolved by the Constitutional Court of Thailand due to the behaviour of its executives that violated election law, Thaksin decided to set up another party to be his nominee party to do political activity inside the nation. Since the establishment of the party, Yingluck was among Thaksin’s first choice to be the leader of the party. However, she refused to accept the position saying that she did not want to be the Prime Minister and only wanted to focus on doing her business. She said that she did some political activities only because the party sent an invitation letter for her to join.
Conflict within Pheu Thai Party
Prior to the eve of 2011, lots of Pheu Thai Party from the group who support Mingkwan Sangsuwan travelled abroad to visit Thaksin to discuss about Thaksin’s decision to choose Yingluck as number 1 for MP party list candidate. They believed that try pushing people who are directly related with Thaksin would be running against the wall since a big part of Thai citizens now have strong feeling against him. However, Thaksin remained decision since he believed that the person in the same family would never betray him.
Rise to Prime Minister Candidate
The Pheu Thai Party voted on 16 May to name Yingluck as the party's top candidate under the country's party list system. The vote positions her against Democrat Party member and current Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in the country's general elections. Even though Yingluck's brother Thaksin won't be on the ballot in 2011, her selection again makes the former premier a major issue in discussions surrounding the future of the Thai premiership. Thaksin has also been living in self-imposed exile since 2008 to avoid a jail sentence after he was convicted of abuse of power..
Campaign for reconcilation
After Yingluck was officially nominated by Pheu Thai Party to be the no.1 in party list candidate, which is traditionally means she is PM candidate from Phue Thai Party, she declared her vision as the new leader of the party to public. One of her main campaigns is reconciliation for all to bring back unity to the nation.
Despite her desire for reconciliation, there are two core leaders of Red Shirt Protestors among top 10 list of Phue Thai party list MP candidates, and three core leaders among the top 20 list. Traditionally it is known that the top 20 MP Party list of any party would be those who hold important positions in the cabinet in case that the party wins the election. Those three core leaders are Jatuporn Prompan, Nattawut Saikua, and Weng Tojirakarn. All these three protestor leaders faced charge from the Royal Thai Police for their violent verbal on political stage which lead to riots in many parts of the country in 2010. Furthermore, they are being accused for setting up riots which led to several deaths. Currently, the two leaders except Jatuporn Prompan are bailed out of jail with a condition that they must not say anything in public that leads to conflict inside the nation.
It is very interesting to see how Yingluck, the youngest sister of Thaksin the man behind the origin of political crisis in Thailand, can create reconciliation while her party plans to set those people who actually created conflicts inside the nation into important positions that suppose to help her driving her reconciliation policy. If Yingluck wins the election, Thai people will have an opportunity to see the contrast between Abhisit’s team of unity , which consists of Anand Panyarachun and Praveth Wasri who are senior politicians in the country, and Yingluck’s team of unity, which consists of Jatuporn Prompan, Weng Tojirakarn, and Nattawut Saikua.
National Debate
On 15 May 2011, Democrat Party invited Yingluck Shinawatra to a political debate with its leader, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, as election campaigns are becoming heated on the eve of a general election to be held in Thailand on July 3. Pheu Thai Party declined the invitation. Chalerm Ubumrung, one of Pheu Thai Party executives, declared that the national debate is not necessary for Thai politics since it is only used in presidential election.
Linking with Red Shirt Protestors
Funding support to the Red Shirts
Yingluck’s bank account was among other 86 bank accounts, that were accused for funding support the Red Shirt protestors during their demonstration in 2010. During their period of time, chaos occurred in every part of the country especially in Bangkok Metropolitan area. Based on the investigation of Department for Special Investigation, during 28 April 2009 – May 2010, around 317 million baht flowed in her account. 150 baht was deposited while 166 million baht was withdrawn. Especially on 28 April 2010, 144 million baht was withdrawn.
Since 28 April 2010, the chaotic situation went from bad to worse. On 28 April, a fight occurred in Don Mueang District, Bangkok, and 1 soldier was killed. On 7–8 May, two policemen were killed during riot in Saladang district, Bangkok. On 14 May, fight occurred in many parts of Bangkok which led to several deaths.
Scandals and criticisms
Yingluck was said to have helped her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra and sister in-law conceal their wealth. Yingluck received 0.68% of Shin Corp. shares out of the 46.87% that Thaksin and his wife hold in 1999. AEC claimed that Yingluck had made up false transaction 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 Potjaman's bank accounts”. Yingluck however claimed that “her family has been as a victim of political persecution”.
References
- Kate, Daniel Ten (16 May 2011). "Sister of Fugitive Ex-Premier Thaksin Chosen as Leader of Opposition Party". Bloomberg.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Hookway, James (17 May 2011). "New Thai Candidacy". The Wall Street Journal.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Srimalee, Somluck (2 February 2007). "SC Asset to invest Bt2 billion in 2007". The Nation.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Template:Th icon MCOT, ศาลตัดสินยุบพรรคพลังประชาชน, 2 December 2009. (in Thai)
- ^ Template:Th icon Matichon Online, ก๊ก"มิ่งขวัญ"ขวาง"ยิ่งลักษณ์"นั่งหัวหน้า พท. อ้าง"ผู้จัดการอำนาจ"ไม่ปลื้มนามสกุล"ชินวัตร", 6 January 2011. (in Thai)
- "Yingluck takes centre stage". Bangkok Post. 17 May 2011.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Kate, Daniel Ten (16 May 2011). "Fugitive Thaksin's Sister Picked to Lead Thailand Opposition". Bloomberg.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Template:Th icon RYT9 ยิ่งลักษณ์ลั่นชูปรองดอง แก้ไข ไม่แก้แค้น, 16 May 2011. (in Thai)
- Template:Th icon ISN “เพื่อไทย” เปิดรายชื่อ 20 ผู้สมัครส.ส.ปาร์ตี้ลิสต์, 18 May 2011. (in Thai)
- Template:Th icon RYT9 17 รายชื่อแกนนำคนเสื้อแดงที่ถุกออกหมายจับ, 9 April 2010. (in Thai)
- "Abhisit ready for political debate with Yingluck; Puea Thai introduces more party list MPs". MCOT online news. 15 May 2011.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Template:Th icon Naewna ยิ่งลักษณ์เปิดตัวชิงนายกฯ ลั่นไม่แก้แค้น ปิดปากนิรโทษกรรมแม้ว, 17 May 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2011. (in Thai)
- Template:Th icon Siam Intelligence ดีเอสไอโชว์ผลงานตรวจท่อน้ำเลี้ยงเสื้อแดง, 17 June 2010. (in Thai)
- Template:Th icon Khaosod สื่อนอกตะลึงอีก! ที่นี่สมรภูมิกรุงเทพฯ, 16 May 2010. (in Thai)
- "Special Report: Thaksin´s 76 bn THB asset seizure case". NNT. 10 February 2010.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Taengkhio, Kesinee (21 December 2009). "Thaksin assets case verdict due in January". The Nation.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)