Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra (Thai: ทักษิณ ชินวัตร, pronounced  ( listen); Chinese: 丘達新, by the media; born 26 July 1949) is a Thai businessman who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was deposed in a military coup and convicted in absentia for a conflict of interest. He was born in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, and started his career in the police. He later became a successful telecom entrepreneur and one of the richest people in Thailand.

He entered politics in 1994 and founded the populist Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party in 1998. After a landslide election victory in 2001, he became prime minister, the country’s first to serve a full term. Thaksin introduced a range of partly effective and highly popular policies to alleviate rural poverty. He launched the country's first universal healthcare program, the 30-baht scheme, as well as drastic social order and drug suppression campaigns.

His re-election in 2005 had the highest voter turnout in Thai history. His main support base is in the north and northeast of Thailand.