Thai premier candidate Paetongtarn ready to resume election campaign after childbirth

By Anadolu Staff

ANKARA (AA) – One of Thailand’s leading candidates for prime minister's office, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, will resume her election campaign after giving birth ahead of May 14 election in the Southeast Asian country, local media reported on Wednesday.

Paetongtarn did not announce when she will resume, but said her newborn child is her "secret power" and now she is ready to return for the election campaign as soon as possible, the Bangkok Post reported.

“I’m very ready to return to the campaign,” the daily quoted her as saying while talking to reporters at Praram 9 Hospital in Bangkok, where she delivered a baby boy on Monday.

Daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, 36-year-old Paetongtarn is leading with first or second position in recent opinion polls.

Thaksin fled from the country in 2008 after he was sentenced on corruption charges, which he rejected and called "politically motivated."

There are speculations in the country that Thaksin could return home if Paetongtarn wins the election.

“He always says he wants to return home to raise his grandchildren. He never said he wants to return home to be prime minister,” Paetongtarn said.

Around 6,679 candidates are contesting for 500 MP seats in parliament while 63 candidates, including nine women, are nominated by 43 political parties for the prime ministership, according to Thai PBS World.

Over 52.3 million registered voters will elect their representatives.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid