Panthongtae "Oak" Shinawatra, the eldest and only son of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has quietly married his long-time girlfriend Natthiya Puangkham, an executive at SC Park Hotel.
News of the marriage, which was in May, was not reported until Tuesday morning, appearig on all media outlets - some with the headline "Surprise!".
The wedding was reported to be a simple affair, without fanfare, at his residence in Bangkok's Khannayao district.
It was attended only by close relatives of the bride and groom. Those present included Panthongtae's mother Khunying Potjaman Damapong and younger sisters Pinthongta and Paetongtarn.
Former prime ministers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra, Panthongtae's father and aunt, reportedly made a video call from abroad and gave the couple their blessings.
Natthiya, 35, is a daughter of Somyos Puangkham and Saranya Saengsang. She received a bachelor's degree in international business from Dhurakij Pundit University. She formerly worked with Rich Blue Property Co before joining SC Park Hotel.
Thaksin was ousted in a military coup on Sept 19, 2006, and fled the country in 2008 after being convicted by the Supreme Court for abuse of power.
The Yingluck Shinawatra administration was toppled in another coup led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, then army chief, on May 22, 2014. Yingluck fled the country ahead of a court verdict in August 2017.
