Yingluck has advice, high hopes for niece Paetongtarn
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Yingluck has advice, high hopes for niece Paetongtarn

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Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra makes a mini-heart gesture to her supporters in December 2023. (Photo: @pouyingluck_shin Instagram account)
Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra makes a mini-heart gesture to her supporters in December 2023. (Photo: @pouyingluck_shin Instagram account)

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has sent a message of encouragement and warning to her niece and now new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Yingluck posted a welcome message to Ms Paetongtarn on the X platform on Tuesday, saying she was proud of her niece for her decision to accept the position of prime minister.

She also warned the new prime minister she would have to deal with both pressure and the high hopes of others, especially now when the country is battling economic problems. 

However, she believed Ms Paetongtarn would get through all the difficulties and be a success in her new job.

"We have been faced with many situations and obstacles and were able to get through those with strength," Yingluck said. "I firmly believe you will overcome all problems and handle all situations to come, and will definitely be successful."

Yingluck offered her niece a tip - to remain open-minded and care about the feelings of the people around her.

Ms Paetongtarn is the second woman to be prime minister of Thailand, following in the steps of her aunt Yingluck, who is the sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Yingluck's political career was cut short when she was removed from office by the court and fled abroad in 2017 before being sentenced over her government's corrupted rice-pledging scheme.

She was sentenced in absentia to five years in jail by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions on Sept 27, 2017, for failing to stop fraudulent and corrupt sales of grain.

Her brother Thaksin said in April that he hopes he can bring her home this year.

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