Thailand’s newly appointed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her eagerness to deepen ties with India, stressing on the exploration of untapped potentials between the two nations.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Shinawatra thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his congratulations and affirmed her commitment to fostering closer relations.
“I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our bilateral relations, especially in trade, investment, culture, and tourism,” Shinawatra wrote, noting her particular interest in increasing air travel between Thailand and India.
She expressed confidence in building on the existing relationship to create greater opportunities for both countries and their people.
Shinawatra, who at 37 has become Thailand's youngest prime minister, received a royal endorsement on Sunday following her selection by Parliament.
Her rise to power comes after the Constitutional Court removed her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, citing a serious ethical breach less than a year into his tenure.
Prime Minister Modi, in his earlier post on X, extended his best wishes to Shinawatra, stating, “Congratulations @ingshin on your election as the Prime Minister of Thailand.
Best wishes for a very successful tenure. Look forward to working with you to further strengthen the bilateral ties between India and Thailand that are based on the strong foundations of civilisational, cultural, and people-to-people connect.”
Shinawatra belongs to a powerful political dynasty in Thailand, founded by her billionaire father, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a military coup in 2006.
Thaksin returned to Thailand last year when his party regained power, paving the way for Paetongtarn’s ascent to the nation’s top political office.