May 23, 2024
BANGKOK – Yingluck, whose caretaker government was toppled by a coup on May 22, 2014, expressed optimism in a Facebook post on the 10th anniversary of the coup.
“Ten years have passed since the coup on May 22, 2014. It has been a long time, but I am starting to have hope now,” Yingluck posted.
“I hope to see Thailand return to democracy with a new constitution written by the people, for the people.”
She said the new charter would allow the country to reach its full potential in terms of development, offering a better standard of living to all people.
“I’m waiting to see a new charter that will lead the country to genuine democracy,” Yingluck concluded.
Yingluck, a sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, became the first woman prime minister of Thailand and the country’s 28th prime minister.
She won a clear majority in the 2011 general election and was in office from August 5, 2011 to May 7, 2014. She dissolved the House of Representatives on December 9, 2013 after months of protests by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee led by former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban.
While acting as the prime minister in charge of holding an election, Yingluck was removed from office on May 7 by the Constitutional Court after the court ruled her order to remove Thawil Pliensri as the secretary-general of the Defence Council as unconstitutional.
A subsequent caretaker government was toppled by then Army chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha in a coup on May 22, 2014.