Former Thailand Prime Minister Faces Backlash For Alleged Racist Jab Toward African Women

African women are beautiful regardless of what anyone says!

The former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, is under fire for alleged racist undertones by describing African women as “black with flat noses,” South China Morning Post reported.

During a political rally on Jan. 5, Shinawatra spoke about the struggle that women in the country go through to become models – since Thai women look better than African women. The billionaire politician highlighted the desire for his Pheu Thai party to promote “pretty” Thai women as runway icons in the fashion industry, as African women with “black with flat noses” land modeling gigs first.

“African people, who have black skin and flat noses that make it difficult to breathe, are hired for millions of baht to be models,” he allegedly said while claiming Thai girls are prettier without a need for plastic surgery.

“It’s time to encourage more Thais, including those from ethnic groups like the Karen, who possess natural beauty, to become international models.”

Thai leadership issued a statement demanding that the former Pheu Thai leader issue an apology, as the nation doesn’t stand for discrimination. Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit called the remarks a “serious matter internationally” and called for Shinawatra’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who took over the ranks of prime minister in August 2024, to push for the comments to never be repeated again. “Discrimination against an individual based on their skin color is a big problem. I want Thaksin to apologize for his remarks,” Angkhana said.

“I hope the prime minister will not ignore the issue and let it pass.”

However, Paetongtarn issued a statement defending her father. She pushed that her father’s intentions were to encourage Thai women not to waste money on cosmetic surgery in order to be deemed eligible for beauty contests when he allegedly said, “Teenage girls here are prettier.”

“They need no cosmetic surgery on their noses or chins,” the former prime minister allegedly said at the rally, according to The Nation Thailand.

Paetongtarn claimed that if people would just listen to what he is saying, they would realize he wasn’t being racist. “I’m 100% confident that he had no intention of making a racist comment. Dad has always said that Thai women don’t need plastic surgery, as we have our own unique style of beauty,” she said.

“This was his intention. You must listen to the entire original clip. I’m confident that Dad has never looked down on [African women]. He does not normally look down on other people.”

His comments don’t seem to be bothering any members of the Pheu Thai party, as they are excited about Shinawatra’s return to the political world. He returned to the kingdom in August 2023 after 15 years of self-exile.

“We are waiting for his confirmation. We want him to help campaign for votes as he did in Chiang Rai,” a contestant in the Sisaket provincial election, Hotrawaisaya Wiwatchai, said.