Yingluck Shinawatra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yingluck Shinawatra
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ยิ่งลักษณ์ ชินวัตร
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Yingluck in 2012
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| 28th Prime Minister of Thailand | |
| In office 5 August 2011 – 7 May 2014 |
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| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Deputy |
See list
Yongyuth Wichaidit
Surapong Tovichakchaikul Kittiratt Na-Ranong Chalerm Yubamrung Kowit Wattana Chumpol Silpa-archa Plodprasop Suraswadi Phongthep Thepkanjana Yukol Limlaemthong Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan Pracha Phromnok |
| Preceded by | Abhisit Vejjajiva |
| Succeeded by | Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan (acting) |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 30 June 2013 – 7 May 2014 |
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| Prime Minister | Herself |
| Preceded by | Sukampol Suwannathat |
| Succeeded by | Prawit Wongsuwon |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 3 July 2011 – 9 December 2013 |
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| Constituency | Party-list |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 June 1967 San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai, Thailand |
| Citizenship |
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| Political party | Pheu Thai (2008–present) |
| Domestic partner | Anusorn Amornchat (1995–present) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives |
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| Education |
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| Signature |  |
| Nickname | Pou (ปู) |
Yingluck Shinawatra (born 21 June 1967) is a Thai businesswoman and politician. She was the 28th prime minister of Thailand from 2011 to 2014. She was Thailand's first female prime minister and the youngest in over 60 years. Her time as prime minister ended on 7 May 2014.
Yingluck was born in Chiang Mai Province into a well-known family. She studied public administration at Chiang Mai University in Thailand and Kentucky State University in the United States. After her studies, she worked as an executive in several businesses. These included companies started by her older brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was also a former prime minister.
In 2011, the Pheu Thai Party chose Yingluck as their candidate for prime minister. She won the election by a large margin. Her campaign focused on bringing people together and helping to reduce poverty.
After some large protests against her government in late 2013, she called for a new election. However, she continued to lead the government temporarily. In May 2014, a court decided that she should leave her role as prime minister. Later that month, the military took control of the government.
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Early Life and Business Career
Yingluck Shinawatra was born on 21 June 1967, in San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai, Thailand. She is the youngest of nine children. Her father was a businessman and a member of parliament. Her family has Chinese roots, with her great-grandfather moving to Thailand in the 1860s.
She grew up in Chiang Mai and went to Regina Coeli College and Yupparaj College. In 1988, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Chiang Mai University. She then went to the United States and received a Master of Public Administration degree from Kentucky State University in 1991.
Starting in Business
Yingluck began her career in 1993 at Shinawatra Directories Co., Ltd., a telephone directory company. She worked in sales, marketing, procurement, and operations. In 1994, she became the general manager of Rainbow Media.
Later, she became the CEO of Advanced Info Service (AIS), which is Thailand's largest mobile phone company. After her family's main company, Shin Corporation, was sold, Yingluck left AIS. However, she continued to be the managing director of SC Asset Co Ltd, a property development company owned by her family.
Political Journey
Forming the Pheu Thai Party
After a political party called the People's Power Party was dissolved in 2008, its members formed the Pheu Thai Party. Yingluck was asked to lead the party, but she said no at first. She wanted to focus on her business career.
However, over time, her role in the party grew. She became more involved in the party's plans and goals.
Leading the Pheu Thai Party
In May 2011, the Pheu Thai Party chose Yingluck as their top candidate for prime minister. This meant she would be the party's choice to lead the country if they won the election. Her brother, Thaksin, supported her, saying she could make decisions for him.
The 2011 Election Campaign
Pheu Thai's campaign slogan was "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai acts." Yingluck focused on bringing people together after a period of political unrest in Thailand. She promised to support a group that was investigating past political events.
She also suggested a general pardon for many political incidents since 2006. This idea was debated, with some saying it would help her brother. Yingluck said it was not meant for any one person.
Yingluck also shared her plans to help reduce poverty. She promised to lower taxes for businesses and increase the minimum wage for workers. For farmers, she planned to guarantee a good price for rice. She also wanted to provide free public Wi-Fi and tablet computers for schoolchildren.
Election Results and Government Formation
The election results showed a big win for Pheu Thai. They won 265 out of 500 seats in parliament. This was only the second time in Thai history that a single party won more than half the seats.
Yingluck quickly formed a group of parties to create a government. This gave her a total of 300 seats. Many international leaders welcomed the election results.
Prime Minister of Thailand, 2011–2014
On 5 August 2011, the parliament voted to approve Yingluck Shinawatra as prime minister. She was officially appointed by the King on 8 August.
Yingluck formed her cabinet (her team of ministers) on 9 August. They were sworn in on 10 August. Her cabinet included experienced people in different roles, like the Interior Minister and Finance Minister.
Her government introduced a new minimum wage of 300 baht per day. This change helped to increase daily earnings and improve people's income.
Dealing with the 2011 Floods
In 2011, Thailand experienced its heaviest rainfall in 50 years, leading to severe floods. The floods started in northern Thailand before Yingluck became prime minister. They quickly spread to central Thailand, including areas near Bangkok.
Yingluck set up a central system to manage flood monitoring and relief efforts. She visited the flooded areas and promised to invest in long-term projects to prevent future floods. These projects included building drainage canals.
Changes in the Cabinet
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In January 2012, Yingluck changed some members of her cabinet. She assigned new roles to some ministers and brought in new ones. These changes were made to strengthen her government and respond to concerns about how the flood disaster was handled.
In June 2013, she made more changes to her cabinet. During this time, she also took on the role of Minister of Defence herself.
Protests and Removal from Office
In December 2013, facing large protests, Yingluck dissolved parliament and called for early elections. She continued to serve as a temporary prime minister.
On 7 May 2014, the Constitutional Court removed Yingluck from her position. This decision was related to a change she made in a government appointment in 2011. A few weeks later, the military took control of the government in Thailand.
After Leaving Office
After leaving office, Yingluck faced an investigation regarding a government rice program. In 2017, she did not appear in court for a verdict and reportedly left the country. She was later found responsible for issues with the rice program and sentenced to five years in prison in her absence.
Her passports were cancelled by the government. She is believed to be in London and has also been granted citizenship by Serbia. In 2024, a court cleared her of other charges related to infrastructure projects.
International Visits
As prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra visited over 40 countries. Her main goals were to improve trade, increase business investments, and learn about water management.
Southeast Asia (ASEAN)
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Brunei |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 2 |  Cambodia |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 3 |  Indonesia |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 4 |  Laos |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 5 |  Myanmar |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 6 |  Vietnam |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 7 |  Singapore |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 8 |  Philippines |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 9 |  Malaysia |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
East Asia
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  South Korea |
She attended the swearing-in ceremony of Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye. |
| 2 |  China |
Helped support the Chinese to buy products of Thailand and high-speed rail discussions to develop joint projects. Signed a co-operation agreement on the trade and economic relations between Thailand |
| 3 |  Hong Kong |
Signed a Cooperation Arrangement on Strengthening Trade and Economic Relations in Government House. |
| 4 |  Mongolia |
Attended the Community of Democracies – CD 7th at Mongolia. |
Oceania
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Australia |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 2 |  New Zealand |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
| 3 |  Papua New Guinea |
Visited as a guest of the government. |
South Asia
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  India |
Visited as a guest of the government for the Republic Day celebrations and attended the ASEAN-India Car Rally at Vigyan Bhawan. |
| 2 |  Bangladesh |
Discussed with the private sector and businessmen during a dinner party organized by the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) and the Association of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at the Radisson Hotel. |
| 3 |  Sri Lanka |
Visited as a guest of the government. Joined the celebration of 260 years of the founding families Siam Nikaya in Sri Lanka. |
| 4 |  Pakistan |
Visited as a guest of the government. Strengthened relations with Pakistan in a strong economic partnership. |
| 5 |  Maldives |
Visited the Smart City Education Chancellor and the transition to salt water. |
Central Asia
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tajikistan |
The water management of Tajikistan in co-operation with the United Nations. |
West Asia
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bahrain |
Met Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and MOU Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries aimed at developing relations in education. Health and travel around Thailand and Bahrain. |
| 2 |  Qatar |
Met Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. |
| 3 |  Kuwait |
Chaired the opening reception to strengthen the confidence of the Kuwaiti political and economic stability of the country. |
North America
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States |
Visited to discuss security negotiations with President Barack Obama. |
Europe
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Germany |
Visited as a guest of the government and tight binding partners. The economic crisis, European added value of trade and investment in Thailand. |
| 2 |  France |
Exchanged opinions on the economic crisis and the trend of French policy towards solving the problems and reinforce bilateral co-operation between them. |
| 3 |  United Kingdom |
The bilateral relationship between the Secretary of State; Met Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. |
| 4 |  Sweden |
Met King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. |
| 5 |  Belgium |
Visited Belgium in the 130 years anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between them. |
| 6 |  Poland |
Student academic co-operation. Especially medical science, renewable energy, food processing and agricultural privatisation of Poland. |
| 7 |  Switzerland |
Attended 42nd World Economic Forum and a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council's 24th session. |
| 8 |  Italy |
Sought Italy's partnership in strengthening Southeast Asian & South European co-operation. |
| 9 |  Vatican City |
Met Pope Francis in private audience. |
| 10 |  Turkey |
Both sides agreed to free trade agreements (FTA) Thailand–Turkey trade value to increase substantially within the next 5 years. |
| 11 |  Montenegro |
Opened a new relationship and Special visit as a guest of the government. |
Africa
| Num | Country/Territory | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mozambique |
Technologies into the private sector as Mozambique is a country with a high growth rate. |
| 2 |  Tanzania |
Knowledge about natural gas, mining, and wildlife conservation. |
| 3 |  Uganda |
Exchange of academic knowledge, both agriculture and fisheries. |
| 4 |  Nigeria |
How to manage nation major source of income oil and gas. |
Personal Life
Yingluck's nickname is Pou, which means "crab" in Thai.
She has one son with her partner, Anusorn Amornchat. Her sister, Yaowapha, is married to former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat. In 2019, Yingluck was granted Serbian citizenship.
Honours
Yingluck has received several special honours in Thailand:
Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant: 6 April 2012
Dame Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand: 20 March 2012
The Boy Scout Citation Medal (First Class)
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Volunteer Defense Corps of Thailand Rank
- Volunteer Defense Corps General of Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand) : 30 September 2011
See also
- Pheu Thai Party
- Yingluck cabinet
- List of elected or appointed female heads of government
