The Shinawatra family (; ; ) is a wealthy and powerful Thai Chinese family. Here is a list of prominent family members: Seng Sae Khu, Hakka Chinese immigrant to Thailand who made a fortune through various businesses; following the 1938 Thaification, his son changed his surname to Shinawatra and the rest of the family followed suit Chaiyasit Shinawatra (born 1945), former commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army and Thaksin's cousin Somchai Wongsawat (born 1947), former Thai Prime Minister and Thaksin's brother-in-law Thaksin Shinawatra (born 1949), former telecommunications billionaire, former Thai Prime Minister, and Seng Sae Khu's great-grandson Yingluck Shinawatra (born 1967), former Thai Prime Minister and Thaksin's sister. Potjaman Shinawatra (born 1956), Thaksin's former wife Yaowaret Shinawatra, member of a subcommittee of the Education Council of Thailand, Mother of the Year 2012, and Thaksin's sister Panthongtae Shinawatra (born 1979), businessman and Thaksin's son Chayika Wongnapachant (1979), assistant to Yingluck Shinawatra and Yaowaret Shinawatra's daughter (thus Thaksin and Yingluck's niece) See also Shinawatra University, private university in Thailand initiated by Thaksin Shinawatra Thai Chinese families