Will Yingluck be lucky for women?

Some want to give her a chance, others deplore the Thaksin connection. Just like her big brother Thaksin, Yingluck Shinawatra seems to be a source of divided opinions. Here are what tweeple had to say about Thailand's first female prime minister after we asked them the question "is Yingluck's rise a boost for feminism?"

Marquie Leelatham @marquie

Thailand now has a chance to toast something that has not been seen in our country until today; a female prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra. And with a new prime minister comes expectations and opinions.

My personal opinion is that although her last name has been a employed as a euphemism for negative political influences, it is only right that we perceive her future performance as the prime minister of Thailand with unprejudiced eyes. Even though it is tempting, as many of my friends say, to judge her by the reputation of her brother, it is more fair to hope for the best, and set the past aside. We need to honour the votes of the majority of the people in the country, who have seen fit to choose her as Thailand's prime minister.

As she is also known to be a mother, I believe that her maternal instincts will come into use. I hope that they will be strong enough to be extended to every child in this country, and envelope them all under a shield against domestic child abuse and trafficking. And hey, who knows? Maybe the education system in Thailand will even improve. But only maybe. For, in a country where the politics are incredibly complex, nothing is ever certain. Nothing can be guaranteed.

There is a common saying that "the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rocks the world". Now that Thailand's prime minister is also a mother, we can also say that "the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rocks Thailand". Whether this hand will rock it in the right direction or not, we do not know. All we know is that Thai politics has always been a canvas upon which the colours and hues of male prime ministers are painted. But now, with a female prime minister, the colours and hues upon that canvas are about to change. And all we can do is hope that this change will be for the better.

Dave Sherman

Yingluck Shinawatra has just been officially endorsed as Thailand's first female prime minister. Her election may well be historic, but is it any sort of victory for feminism?

Based on the circumstances of Yingluck's rise to power, that seems highly unlikely. First, both Yingluck's supporters and opponents agree that she wouldn't exist as a political entity if not for her big brother, the ex-fugitive billionaire PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who picked her from obscurity as the best proxy, or, in his own words, "clone", to represent not just his varied interests, but himself personally, at the helm of Thailand's new government.

And it would appear that Yingluck has accepted the task at hand to fulfil Thaksin's wishes - which wouldn't be the first time she's had to cover for her big brother. After all, the allegations of perjury in a corruption case involving Thaksin are still hanging over her head. As Thaksin effectively raised Yingluck as his daughter, and as she has risen to wealth and success inside his business empire, it's fair to say that the family ties that bind the siblings probably trump all other considerations for Yingluck.

Finally, while 48 per cent of the electorate may've voted Yingluck into office, the majority of those votes were for Thaksin in absentia. It is difficult to imagine Yingluck winning the hearts of even half the nation had it not been for her last name. Yes, she was a good candidate: pleasant, charismatic, photogenic - but from start to finish, she was a creature of her brother and his male handlers - there is little to her victory that's purely hers.

After an exhausting and protracted political crisis, most Thais probably want to put the best face on this election result and see it as a measure of progress. But the bottom line is Yingluck won not as a woman or a candidate in her own right, but as Thaksin's pretty stand-in. It was a victory - but not for feminism.

Lisnaree Vichitsorasatra

@lisnaree

Although Yingluck Shinawatra was elected as Thailand's first woman prime minister there are still many doubts as to whether that means anything for the status of Thai women.

First of all, modern women are expected to be independent and free, but PM Yingluck is seen as a clone, or rather, a Thai version of a Barbie doll - more specifically "the puppet" whose strings are being pulled by exiled ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

If she is able to break herself completely from the controlling grasp of her brother, and become her own self, this will give her a new standing in Thai politics as well as acceptance from the modern woman in Thailand.

The only way that Yingluck can prove she is more than just a pretty, lucky "phase" is to retain the support of females in Thailand who voted for her.

While increasing labour wages and improving the economy in general is one of the areas she is currently speaking about, it is mandatory that she look into feminist issues.

One of the ways she can do this is to become more engaged in sexual abuse and rape issues in Thailand, which are hardly being addressed seriously. The sex industry, where tourists and foreigners learn to make the generalisation of all Thai women as easy and easy to buy, is also a big issue. Women in poor areas must be given higher education and more career opportunities so that they will learn real self-respect.

She can also gather more future women politicians as her Cabinet members, rather than choose the old boring men that have been blacklisted as red-shirt supporters. Perhaps she can start a new T-shirt trend where women wear a new colour to show their power or ideals in politics. In other words, it's time she used her sex to her advantage.

Kanitta Meesook

Yingluck's rise to power was brought about by two elements incompatible with feminism: nepotism and puppetry.

Therein lies her contribution to feminism: she characterises a bona fide negative role model for Thai women.

Dara Cook

We should be rejoicing in the fact that a woman has pushed through the glass ceiling to become a leader in our new government. This is a breakthrough event that has brought pride and joy to Thailand.

NOT!!!!!

It was bad enough that wives and mistresses of politicians were placed in ministerial positions, making fools of themselves and bringing scorn to womankind in Thailand. The latest development has wounded the progress that capable women have made and set back recognition of contributions made by women of Thailand.

Feminism/sheminism - give me a break!