Mr. Nuttaphong Kunakornwong - son-in-law of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - is being considered as the successor to the Thai Prime Minister's seat in the future.
In a recent speech, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Phumtham Wechayachai, a key leader of the Pheu Thai party, suggested the possibility of nominating Nuttaphong. The joke that he smart and handsome seems easy, but conveys a clear political message: Pheu Thai continues to attach fate to the Shinawatra family.
The party's internal atmosphere also heated up after Khunying Potjaman Damapong - Mr. Thaksin's ex-wife - suddenly appeared, encouraging lawmakers with the message "Just fight!".
Nuttaphong was born in 1980 in a garment business family in Pratunam area, Bangkok. He graduated with a degree in architecture from Chulalongkorn University, then received a master's degree from DePaul University (Chicago, USA). It was during a real estate course in Chulalongkorn that Nuttaphong met Pintongta Shinawatra - Mr. Thaksin's eldest daughter - and got married in 2011. They currently have three children.
His career is closely associated with real estate. Having worked at Areeya Property, Nexus Property and then moved to do business with his family, Nuttaphong gradually became a notable figure when joining SC Asset - a large real estate group associated with the Shinawatra family. He is currently the CEO and Vice President, directly managing the housing and apartment segments and developing SC Asset into a comprehensive "living solution provider".
Although not the largest shareholder (mainly in the hands of Paetongtarn and Pintongta Shinawatra), his role as a director has made him an indispensable factor in the family's business strategy.
The information that Nuttaphong could be nominated by Pheu Thai as a Prime Minister candidate has put him in the position of a "new person" in politics. He has no experience in politics, but carries the image of an economic administrator - something Pheu Thai really needs in the context of Thailand facing a growth crisis.
If chosen, Nuttaphong will become a symbol of " Shinawatra's political heritage", and at the same time a test for combining family influence with corporate governance capacity.
Mr. Nuttaphong's advantages are his economic foundation, business leadership style and strong support from his family. But the big limitation is the lack of political experience, easily making the public consider him a "heir to power" and not enough to be independent.
The appearance of Khunying Potjaman within the Pheu Thai Party further reinforces the belief that the Shinawatra family still holds the power to shape the political line, and Nuttaphong could be the next card.
Observers believe that making Mr. Nuttaphong's name public before the election is not necessarily the final decision, but a step to "explore" the social reactions, business community and traditional voters of the Pheu Thai Party.
