Thai PM 30th most powerful woman in world-Forbes

Yingluck Shinawatra, the prime minister of Thailand, has been among female leaders and business chiefs selected for the Forbes' 100 most powerful women.

Forbes said Yingluck, 45, was included as she "oversees a country of 67 million and the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia. One year into her term the Shinawatras' ruling party has already been accused of plotting to overthrow the monarchy."

In 2011 when she was first included in the list, Yingluck was ranked the 59th most powerful woman.

In the 9th annual ranking, topping the the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list is German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the woman who now holds the future of the eurozone economic system. She is followed by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at No. 2, and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at No 3.

Members of the 2012 ranking represent women in technology (a new category this year), politics, business, media, entertainment, non-profits, as well as billionaires - all ranked by money, media presence and impact. The 25 CEOs alone oversee companies with $984 billion in revenues. The women represent 28 countries, have an average age of 55, and a combined 90 million Twitter followers.

"This year's Power Women exert influence in very different ways, and to very different ends, and all with very different impacts on the global community," said Moira Forbes, president and publisher, ForbesWoman. "Whether leading multibillion-dollar companies, governing countries, shaping the cultural fabric of our lives, or spearheading humanitarian initiatives, collectively these women are changing the planet in profoundly powerful and dynamic ways."

Sixteen women join the list for the first time, including: Brazilian CEO Maria das Gracas Silva Foster of Petrobras (No. 20); Entertainer Jennifer Lopez (No. 38); Billionaire philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs (No. 49); and WikiMedia Foundation executive director Sue Gardner (No. 70). Twenty-one women dropped off list this year, including Sallie Krawcheck, Carol Bartz and Michele Bachmann.

There are 15 women in Tech, including: Sheryl Sandberg (No. 10) of Facebook, Virginia Rometty (No. 15) of IBM, Ursula Burns (No. 17) of Xerox, Meg Whitman (No. 18) of HP and Marissa Mayer (No. 21) of Yahoo.

Entertainer Lady Gaga (No. 14) is the youngest on the list, at age 26; Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (No. 26) is the oldest at 86. In her most recent sit-down interview with the media, US Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano (No. 9), is interviewed by Moira Forbes about her career, culture, what keeps her up at night, and much more.-Asia News Network (August 23, 2012)