Thailand's former ruling party, Pheu Thai, has elected former Deputy Finance Minister Jullapan as its new party leader.
According to AFP, on the 31st, Pheu Thai Party held a meeting and voted to elect the 50-year-old Jullapan as the new party leader. After the vote, Jullapan stated: "I am deeply honored to receive this distinction and thank all party members for their trust."
Jullapan hails from Chiang Mai, the stronghold of the Pheu Thai Party. His father, Sompong, once served as Deputy Prime Minister and was the party leader in 2019.
Former Prime Minister Paetongtarn resigned as Pheu Thai Party leader last week, after being dismissed during the Thai-Cambodia border conflict. Analysts believe her resignation is a strategic move to protect Pheu Thai from potential legal challenges and may signal the end of the Thaksin family's decades-long dominance in Thai politics.
Before the 2023 general election, Jullapan actively promoted Pheu Thai's campaign policies, including proposing a 10,000 baht (1,294 ringgit) digital wallet stimulus program and the legalization of casinos.
However, observers noted that regardless of who leads the Pheu Thai Party, the party will continue to be influenced by party veteran Thaksin and his political dynasty.