Yingluck’s choice as PM candidate likely to keep Pheu Thai united

Yingluck Shinawatra, the youngest sibling of self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, has emerged as a strong candidate for the premiership among the key figures of the opposition Pheu Thai Party.

The 43-year-old business executive and mother appears to have the backing of veteran politician Chalerm Yoobamrung and her brother Thaksin, who is believed to be pulling strings behind the main opposition party and providing it with constant funding.

Yingluck holds no official executive post in Pheu Thai but it is no secret that she has considerable influence in the party acting as a major link between its politicians and Thaksin, who is known as the party’s “big boss” and de-facto leader.

The Nation