Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the history of pregnant prime ministers

[webfact]

 

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has a big couple of months ahead of her. The 36-year-old looks set to become a prime ministerial candidate for the Pheu Thai Party, but she is also scheduled to give birth to her second child in the same month as the general election, tentatively scheduled for May 7.

 

If her party wins the election and she is voted in as the next prime minister, the political debutant faces becoming Thailand’s first government leader to raise a newborn while in office. If that scenario materializes, as anticipated by her supporters and public opinion polls, the youngest daughter of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra will join a very small league of female prime ministers.

 

Only two prime ministers in modern history have given birth while in office – Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan in 1990 and Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand in 2018.

 

Unlike those two well-known leaders, Paetongtarn is set to give birth before the formation of a new government. But the infant would be raised after she became a full-fledged politician – whether in government or opposition. It remains unclear if she will contest for an MP seat as well as being nominated as a Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/paetongtarn-shinawatra-and-the-history-of-pregnant-prime-ministers/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-08

 

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[ikke1959]

So what is strange about it, that women want to have children???And  if they are,  does that mean that they can't fullfill their duty anymore after given birth?....

[kingstonkid]

It should be mandatory that all PM candidates contest a seat and run for government.

 

As to her having a baby, maybe it is part of the Biden/Fetterman playbook from the U.S>. Have a medical excuse why you can not be out in public and get sympathy.

 

No matter what, it is not as if she is the one that will be raising the child I am sure that nannies and other family members are already set to do so.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

If her party wins the election and she is voted in as the next prime minister, the political debutant faces becoming Thailand’s first government leader to raise a newborn while in office.

They may have a crack at being the winning party but the vote as to who becomes leader is very opaque.

[bangon04]

It should be compulsory. Maybe if Yingluck had gotten pregnant she would have had a better time as PM.

 

 

[LukKrueng]

6 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

 

No matter what, it is not as if she is the one that will be raising the child I am sure that nannies and other family members are already set to do so.

She's not actually going to run the country either. IF she becomes PM she's only going to be a proxy for her father...

[Purdey]

Why is getting pregnant and having a job news? Women have been doing this for centuries.

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, LukKrueng said:

She's not actually going to run the country either. IF she becomes PM she's only going to be a proxy for her father...

Having an ex-Prime Minister as adviser whose tenure was often referred as the "Fifth Asia Tiger"following the heels of the superperforming "Four Tigers" is actually not a bad situation. Just look at how the 2 coup governments have dragged Thailand backwards economically to appreciate that Thailand almost became an Asia Tiger. That moniker has long past unfortunately. 

[kingstonkid]

23 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Having an ex-Prime Minister as adviser whose tenure was often referred as the "Fifth Asia Tiger"following the heels of the superperforming "Four Tigers" is actually not a bad situation. Just look at how the 2 coup governments have dragged Thailand backwards economically to appreciate that Thailand almost became an Asia Tiger. That moniker has long past unfortunately. 

Going back to old PM is not what Thailand needs It needs new leadership that is young and not under the thumb,b of the OLD MONEY MEN

[still kicking]

On 3/8/2023 at 5:38 PM, Purdey said:

Why is getting pregnant and having a job news? Women have been doing this for centuries.

In Australia they can even breastfeed the child in parliament 

[scorecard]

3 minutes ago, still kicking said:

In Australia they can even breastfeed the child in parliament 

and why not?

[still kicking]

4 minutes ago, scorecard said:

and why not?

What I mean why not, don't get me wrong 

[scorecard]

On 3/8/2023 at 1:34 PM, hotchilli said:

They may have a crack at being the winning party but the vote as to who becomes leader is very opaque.

Yes, or in different words, totally (and deliberately) not transparent.