Thaksin Shinawatra

Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

Thaksin Shinawatra was a Thai politician and businessman who served as the 23rd prime minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006. He founded successful companies like Advanced Info Service and Shin Corporation, becoming one of the richest people in Thailand. Thaksin’s time as prime minister was marked by both accomplishments and controversies, leading to his eventual removal from office in a military coup.

Table of Contents

Family Info

Siblings

Yaowares Shinawatra

Yaowapha Wongsawat

Payap Shinawatra

Yingluck Shinawatra

Spouses

Potjaman Na Pombejra

Children

Panthongtae Shinawatra

Pintongtha Shinawatra

Paetongtarn Shinawatra

About the Thaksin Shinawatra

Thaksin Shinawatrais a Thai politician and businessman who served as the 23rd prime minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006.

Thaksin founded the mobile phone operator Advanced Info Service and the IT and telecommunications conglomerate Shin Corporation in 1987, ultimately making him one of the richest people in Thailand. He founded the Thai Rak Thai Partyin 1998 and, after a landslide electoral victory, became prime minister in 2001. He was the first democratically elected prime minister of Thailand to serve a full term and was re-elected in 2005 by an overwhelming majority.

Thaksin declared a “war on drugs” in which more than 2,500 people were killed. Thaksin’s government launched programs to reduce poverty, expand infrastructure, promote small and medium-sized enterprises, and extend universal healthcare coverage. Thaksin took a strong-arm approach against the separatist insurgency in the Muslim southern provinces.

His decision to sell shares in his corporation for more than a billion tax-free US dollars generated controversy. A protest movement against Thaksin, called People’s Alliance for Democracy or “Yellow Shirts”, launched mass demonstrations, accusing him of corruption, abuse of power, and autocratic tendencies. In 2006 Thaksin called snap elections that were boycotted by the opposition and invalidated by the Constitutional Court.

Thaksin was deposed in a military coup on 19 September 2006. His party was outlawed and he was barred from political activity. Thaksin lived in self-imposed exile for 15 years–except for a brief visit to Thailand in 2008–before returning to Thailand in August 2023. During his exile he was sentenced in absentia to two years in jail for abuse of power, and stripped of his Police Rank of Police Lieutenant Colonel.

From abroad, he continued to influence Thai politics through the People’s Power Party that ruled in 2008 and its successor organisation Pheu Thai Party, as well as the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship or “Red Shirt” movement. His younger sister Yingluck Shinawatra was prime minister from 2011 to 2014, and his youngest daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been the prime minister since 2024.

Later in exile, Thaksin registered a Clubhouse account under the name “Tony Woodsome”, which became his moniker, and frequently held activities on the platform. He also made several announcements expressing his desire to return to Thailand on various social media platforms. Ultimately, Thaksin returned to Thailand on 22 August 2023, and was promptly taken into custody.

Frequently Asked Questions

Thaksin Shinawatra was born on July 26, 1949.

Thaksin founded the mobile phone operator Advanced Info Service and the IT and telecommunications conglomerate Shin Corporation in 1987, ultimately making him one of the richest people in Thailand.

Thaksin founded the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) in 1998 and became prime minister in 2001 after a landslide electoral victory.

Thaksin was the first democratically elected prime minister of Thailand to serve a full term and was re-elected in 2005 by an overwhelming majority.

Thaksin’s government launched a ,war on drugs, in which more than 2,500 people were killed, and his decision to sell shares in his corporation for more than a billion tax-free US dollars generated controversy.

Thaksin was deposed in a military coup on September 19, 2006, and his party was outlawed. He lived in self-imposed exile for 15 years before returning to Thailand in August 2023.

From abroad, Thaksin continued to influence Thai politics through the People’s Power Party that ruled in 2008 and its successor organization Pheu Thai Party, as well as the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship or ,Red Shirt, movement.

10 Quotes by Thaksin Shinawatra

  1. 1.

    Don’t underestimate the people. Let them decide.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  2. 2.

    We will talk about cooperation to destroy the disease as soon as we can.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  3. 3.

    The first step is that the Cambodian government has expressed sincerity to apologize for what happened.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  4. 4.

    The rubber industry is of much significance to our countries. For millions of our smallholders, the rubber tree is a tree of life, serving as a crucial source of income for earning a living and raising families.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  5. 5.

    Thailand stands at a crossroads.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  6. 6.

    Many corpses will be floating in the sea.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  7. 7.

    I will protect democracy with my life.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  8. 8.

    If I were not a public figure, I wouldn’t fly with Thai.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  9. 9.

    The guy was infected with bird flu because he took a sick chicken, slaughtered it and and then ate it.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

  10. 10.

    This is the most terrible thing that can happen in a friendly country if Thai people have to escape from the backdoor of an embassy.

    Thaksin Shinawatra

    Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006