Thailand Elects First Female Prime Minister

Connor Simpson 6,690 Views Jul 3, 2011

Yingluck Shinawatra has become the first female prime minister of Thailand, reports BBC News. She is the younger sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2006 in a coup. The New York Times is reporting that Yingluck's Pheu Thai party won a projected 264 of a possible 500 seats available in the Thai Parliament. 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva conceded defeat after his military- supported Democrat Party succeeded in only winning 160 seats Sunday. Thaksin Shinawatra, a populist leader who championed the poor, was ousted in 2006 by the military after being elected prime minister twice, once in 2001 and again in 2005. He is currently in Dubai evading an abuse of power charge, but he spoke to a Thai television station Sunday saying, "I believe all sides have to respect the decision of the people. If any country doesn’t respect the decisions of its people, there’s no way it is going to find peace."

 

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at connorbsimpson at gmail dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Topics: ,
Related Articles   More by Connor Simpson

Is the Tea Party Going Broke?

With Independent Crist, Could Dem Win in Florida?

Grassroots Claim a Hill in Republican Civil War

 

The New 'Anchorman 2' Trailer Says Hello But Not Much More

The President's Umbrella Scandal Folded Before It Could Take Off

Elsewhere on the Web

User Comments

Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register

  • The Atlantic Wire on Twitter
  • The Atlantic Wire RSS Feed
  • The Atlantic Wire iPhone App