Yingluck’s First Birthday Post After Exile
Yingluck Shinawatra finally cracked her silence on the internet after years of being on the run.
The former Prime Minister, who was sentenced to five years in jail for criminal negligence, took to social media to celebrate her 51st birthday.
What She Said
- “This is the first birthday I have spent overseas,” she wrote, putting a smile over her personal loss.
- She thanked Thai nationals for keeping her in their thoughts: “I wish to thank the Thai people for still thinking of me.”
- Pictures of herself in London (via a Dubai flight) were shared on her Twitter and Instagram feeds.
Why the Message Matters
After the 2014 military coup, the Shinawatra name has been a thorn in the junta’s side.
Despite her exile and political ban, the family’s influence remains strong—especially among the poorer voters who earned her party victory in every election since 2001.
Key Background Points
- Past Leadership – Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, was Thailand’s prime minister from 2001 until a 2006 coup took him out.
- Political Banishment – In 2015, the military junta barred her from all Thai politics for five years.
- Exile Journey – She fled to London last August, just before the Supreme Court was to decide her case; her escape route included Dubai, where Thaksin owns a home.
- Global Appearances – This year, she’s decked the stage in China, Japan, Singapore, and the U.S., often side‑by‑side with Thaksin.
A Touch of Humor
Even while living in exile, Yingluck keeps her humor alive: “If only birthdays were somewhere you could go for a fresh start,” she joked in a tweet.
Meanwhile, the Thai people carry on debating whether the shin‑awatra lineage should ever return—much like a game of ‘Who’s the best at winning elections?’—and the world watches, amused and intrigued.
