Tracking the growing Shinawatra influence in new government

reader · October 16, 2023

From Thai PBS World

Less than two months after taking power, Prime Minister SretthaThavisin appears to be overshadowed by the Shinawatra family, judging from the people around him.

A high proportion of his official and unofficial advisers, government appointees, and Cabinet colleagues are Shinawatra loyalists, friends, political allies, in-laws, or even family members.

Over the past month, PM Srettha has appointed 13 official advisers mostly linked to past governments led by Thaksin Shinawatra or his sister Yingluck.

Nine advisers were named on September 14: Kittiratt Na-Ranong, Tewan Liptapanlop, Pichai Chunhavajira, Supanit Chaiyawat, Pimol Srivikorn, Pichit Chuenban, Chonlatit Surasawadi, Chai Watcharong, and Surayut Thavikulwat.

Srettha appointed four more on October 4: TongthongChandransu, Paitoon Chutimakornkul, Arthit Suriyabhivadh, and Police General Chinnapat Sarasin.

Kittiratt, 65, served as deputy prime minister, finance minister, and economic czar in Yingluck’s government. Formerly a deputy Pheu Thai leader, Kittiratt has now been hired to share his expertise as Srettha’s chief adviser.

Srettha had backed Kittiratt for the post of new Football Association of Thailand president but seemed to change his mind a few days before being voted in as prime minister, saying he “would be better suited to helping out the government with its work”.

Veteran politician Tewan, 63, is caretaker leader of the coalition Chart Pattana Kla Party. He is a former Thai Rak Thai Party executive, serving between 2004 and 2007. Founded and led by Thaksin, Thai Rak Thai was ousted from the government by the 2006 military coup before being disbanded by court order in 2007 for electoral fraud. Tewan was among its party executives banned from politics for five years.

Pichai, 73, has experience as a top executive in the petroleum industry. He was formerly chairman of Bangchak Corporation Plc and director of PTT Exploration and Production Plc.

He has also served as president of the Thailand Boxing Association, vice president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, and president of the Asian Boxing Confederation.

Supanit, 63, is a close ally and childhood friend of the prime minister. He is also an independent director of Sansiri Plc, the property giant that Srettha helmed as president and CEO before entering politics early this year.

Continues at

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