Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
22 August 2024 | 14:47 SAST
2-minute read

Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sworn in as Thailand’s new prime minister on Sunday.

Paetngtarn, 37, is a member of the Shinawatra political party and is the youngest person to hold the office.

Her inauguration comes after constitutional judges accepted a petition submitted by the parliament to remove her predecessor on the grounds that he appointed a former lawyer who was jailed for corruption in 2008.

Political Analyst and Research Associate Sanusha Naidu said that recent events point to political instability in Thailand due to political interference from the royal family.

“[There is a] running battle in Thailand between pro-royalist military establishments and populist parties, like the one that the PM represents,” Naidu noted. “Not too long ago, there was this massive protest in Thailand around how the royal family plays a role in the political architecture of the country,” she added.

Time will tell how Thailand’s political landscape will unfold under Shinawatra’s rule.

Meanwhile in the South China Sea, tensions between China and the Philippines is intensifying.

The ongoing battle for increased maritime security and control over the South China seas has seen clashes between Chinese fishing vessels and Philippine coast guard ships.

“There’s a constant cat and mouse game… and it’s about the maritime security claims as well as territorial claims,” Naidu said.

In Indonesia, the outgoing President Joko Widodo reshuffled his cabinet ahead of his departure in October.

The move is seen by analysts as an effort to further incoming president Prabowo’s main campaign pledges.

“Analysts say this surprise move is not only about boosting the incoming administration and putting key people in power, but it also creates the sense that the outgoing president will still want to have some kind of influence over the political body of the state,” Naidu said.

Listen to the Asia-Pacific Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.