Although it is too early to determine her political agenda, Thailand’s new prime minister, Paithongtarn Shinawatra, has a significant legacy in the film industry. She also has some family burdens that come with it.
Shinawatra was elected by parliament on Friday, just two days after a Constitutional Court ruling ousted her successor, Srita Thavisin. She is the country's youngest prime minister, only the second woman to hold the post and the third from her family to hold the highest political office. Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, and her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, were elected and then ousted in military coups in 2006 and 2014, respectively.
Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai party came to power last year after the pro-democracy Move Forward Party dominated the May 2023 general election, but establishment forces blocked it from leading the government. (The Constitutional Court itself banned Move Forward earlier this month and barred its leaders from political office for 10 years.)
Under protocol, parliament’s choice of prime minister does not become final until the king ratifies it. Until then, Shinawatra will not say anything about her policies or her cabinet. Her cabinet picks will also require separate royal approval.
For millions of low-income Thais, whether the new prime minister will go ahead with Thavisin’s proposal to put 10,000 baht ($280) in their pockets through a digital wallet scheme will be at the top of their political wish list. For many of them, restarting and modernizing the country’s struggling tourism-dependent economy will be key. The country’s film and television industries can also expect a sympathetic ear and may hope for more targeted measures.
Not only is Shinawatra the daughter and granddaughter of cinema operators, but enhancing Thailand's soft power abroad has been a core policy of her Pheu Thai party.
The Thavisin government has proposed launching a new major cultural support body, the Creative Culture Agency of Thailand, with a budget of 7 billion baht (US$200 million) and a mandate that spans from film and television to Muay Thai and cuisine.
Unsurprisingly, given the many competing interests, this would not be achieved until 2025. But Shinawatra was appointed chairman of a subcommittee, reporting directly to the former prime minister, which was mandated to accelerate reforms in the feature and documentary film sectors.
Expected changes include easing the burden of oversight, creating a body that will facilitate location filming and obtaining permits, a larger and more significant rebate program for incoming productions, and providing funding to develop the local industry.
Thailand's current rebate program offers a 15% rebate, with an additional 5% bonus for projects that use significant local components, but the cap was previously set at $2.25 million.
Despite the low ceiling on support, Thailand has recently succeeded in attracting incoming productions including the “Alien” film series, the third season of “The White Lotus” and parts of the latest “Jurassic World 4.”
The growing popularity of “Boys Love” or “BL” TV series and the recent regional success of the hit movie “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” indicate that Thai-produced entertainment is enjoying a moment of positive momentum.
But Shinawatra must be careful not to anger the establishment. Her father has returned to Thailand after more than a decade in exile, and has been treated leniently so far. But he risks being charged with insulting the king, and is effectively a political pawn ensuring that the new prime minister does not do anything too extreme.
