People's Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut announced support for Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul as the new prime minister on Wednesday morning, but the caretaker prime minister from the ruling Pheu Thai Party countered with a move for a House dissolution.
Mr Natthaphong said at the parliament that his party supported Bhumjaithai leader Anutin for the prime ministership, but with conditions.
Mr Anutin said separately that he accepted those conditions.
Mr Natthaphong said that PP, with 143 MPs in the House, would have the power to direct the new Bhumjaithai-led government. PP won the 2023 general election but was outmanoeuvred by Pheu Thai in forming a government and finally settled for leading the opposition.
In exchange for its support, PP demanded the new prime minister dissolve the House of Representatives in four months after the new government announces its policy platform in parliament, paving the way for a general election.
According to PP, if there must be a public referendum on a new constitution, the referendum must be organised no later than the general election.
If the public referendum is not necessary, the new cabinet, PP and Bhumjaithai will quickly amend the present constitution to have an elected constitution drafting assembly within the present tenure of the House.
PP also demands Bhumjaithai not take any action that would result in it having a majority of votes in the House.
The PP will remain in the opposition, while supporting Mr Anutin as prime minister, and will not serve on the new cabinet.
PP's decision was widely signalled in news reports on Tuesday.
Sorawong Thienthong, secretary-general of Pheu Thai, which leads the caretaker government, said on Wednesday morning that caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai had on Tuesday night sought royal approval for a House dissolution, which would lead to a snap election.
Caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, left, and Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul at Government House, Bangkok, on June 10, 2025. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)
Mr Sorawong said the House should be dissolved right away because Bhumjaithai would be leading an unstable minority government with only about 130 votes.
He denied the dissolution move was pure politics, saying the party was simply returning power to people. He also said that PP wanted a quick House dissolution anyway.
Mr Sorawong insisted that a caretaker prime minister has the power to dissolve the House and call a general election, which is a controversial view and not supported by the government's own legal adviser, the Council of State.
Mr Anutin said he was happy and grateful for PP’s support and he accepted all the conditions. He then went to a meeting with Bhumjaithai MPs at the parliament.
At Government House on Wednesday morning, caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham said he moved for a House dissolution on Tuesday night because the political situation had become confusing.
He said PP’s support for Bhumjaithai without joining the next government showed that PP would have both government and opposition roles. This would only compound national economic problems.
“So, the power should be returned to people,” Mr Phumtham said.
On Aug 29, the Constitutional Court dismissed suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office for an ethics violation after only a year in power.
The decision paves the way for the election by parliament of a new prime minister, a process that could be drawn out, with Pheu Thai losing bargaining power and facing a challenge to shore-up a fragile alliance with a razor-thin majority.
