Thaksin Shinawatra

Prime Minister of Thailand form 2001 to 2006

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Born 1949 · age 77

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Wikipedia
72 languages
Cross-language footprint
Age
77
Born 1949
Awards
19
recognised works

Summary

Updated 2026-06-09

A telecom billionaire who reshaped Thai politics, deposed by coup, sentenced in absentia, and exiled for 15 years — yet still ran the country through proxies, including his sister and daughter as prime ministers.

Biography

About

Thaksin Shinawatra founded Advanced Info Service and Shin Corporation in 1987, becoming one of Thailand's richest men. He launched Thai Rak Thai Party in 1998 and swept to power in 2001, the first democratically elected prime minister to serve a full term and win re-election in 2005. His government expanded healthcare and infrastructure, but also declared a "war on drugs" that killed 72 people and took a hard line on the southern insurgency. When he sold over a billion dollars in corporate shares tax-free, the Yellow Shirt movement erupted, accusing him of corruption and autocracy. A military…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Thaksin Shinawatra

Thaksin Shinawatra

said2016

I don't care whether I go back home or not.

— Interview with World Policy

Thaksin Shinawatra

said2016

You cannot deliver what you promise to the people, you cannot solve the problem of the country if you're being controlled by the politburo and appointed senators.

— Interview with World Policy

Thaksin Shinawatra

said2016

I think those who say that they are patriotic, they should be quiet and let the country run in a democratic way.

— Interview with World Policy

Thaksin Shinawatra

saidundated

I am a new and younger leader. So, I have no problems in admiring Dr Mahathir, placing him as a more senior leader in terms of political life, age and experience.

— Thaksin said in an interview with New Straits Times Press group editor-in-chief Abdullah Ahmad at the Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia

via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA

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