Paetongtarn is being prosecuted for having jeopardized Thailand's national interests after, according to critics, she appeared submissive and flattering towards Cambodia's leader Hun Sen in a phone call in connection with the border conflict between the countries last summer.
There is no obvious heir within the Shinawatra dynasty, says Karin Zackari, researcher at East and Southeast Asian Studies at Lund University.
But it's not at all certain that she will be convicted. The legal basis is very thin. It's clear that this is a politically driven prosecution.
Turbulent politics
Thailand's political landscape is marked by sudden turns and the country lacks a tradition of constitutional stability. It's rare for prime ministers to succeed in completing a term of office without being ousted through court proceedings or coups.
But even if Paetongtarn were to be ousted, it doesn't mean the end of the political influence from the Shinawatra dynasty.
Paetongtarn's father Thaksin is the wealthy businessman who reshaped the political landscape when he was elected prime minister in 2001.
With populist reforms, including promises to even out economic disparities in neglected agricultural regions, he challenged the traditional power elites, the military, royalists, and powerful families in Bangkok society.
Balancing force
The tension still exists today but came into new light after the 2023 election when a new political force entered the political scene. The progressive Move Forward Party gathered over a third of the electorate, who hoped for democratic reforms and modern administration.
In one stroke, the traditional power struggle was put out of play. To keep the new force away from influence, the Shinawatra family made common cause with the conservative rivals in parliament and Paetongtarn took the prime minister's post.
In recent years, the Shinawatras have been a balancing force in relation to the much more progressive movements, which the conservatives have taken advantage of, says Karin Zackari.
She doesn't think the Shinawatra dynasty's power is on its way to disappearing.
Thaksin is one of Thailand's richest people and he has had influence on politics over the years despite exile, coups, and prosecutions. There are many politicians who are connected to his business empire in various ways, says Karin Zackari.
Thaksin Shinawatra comes from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, where he worked as a police officer before entering the business world and making a fortune in the telecommunications industry.
He was elected prime minister in 2001 and became the first democratically elected prime minister to complete a term of office. After allegations of corruption, he went into self-imposed exile for 15 years.
His sister Yingluck Shinawatra was prime minister between 2011 and 2014.
Paetongtarn is the daughter of Thaksin and the country's youngest prime minister ever. She is suspended from duty pending the verdict.
For 25 years, the family has been a central actor in Thai politics and has challenged the country's conservative and military elites, making them the subject of coups and court proceedings.
