Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul has been chosen as Thailand’s 32nd prime minister — and the fourth in just over two years — with a countdown expected to begin soon to a new general election early next year.
Following a two-hour debate in the House of Representatives on Friday afternoon, Mr Anutin received 311 votes, to 152 for Pheu Thai Party nominee Chaikasem Nitisiri. There were 27 abstentions.
House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha will now seek royal endorsement for Mr Anutin’s appointment, which will be followed by the selection of cabinet ministers.
In a quarterly Nida Poll released on June 19, Mr Anutin was the fourth most popular choice for prime minister, supported by just 9.64% of respondents. The survey found that the most popular choice was opposition leader and People’s Party chief Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, with 31.5%.
Mr Natthaphong was not eligible to contend for the prime ministership, but he will wield considerable influence in the coming months. The People’s Party has agreed to support a Bhumjaithai minority government under a series of strict conditions.
The main condition is that the House must be dissolved within four months of the government delivering its policy statement, which would result in an election being held sometime in February or March.
The debate in the house began at 12.30pm on Friday with Akkharasaenkhiri Lohweera, a Klatham MP from Chaiyaphum, declaring that an Anutin premiership would help the country overcome political uncertainty, advance constitutional reform and return power to the people.
Chaturon Chaisang, a Pheu Thai list-MP, opposed Mr Anutin’s nomination, citing past controversies and the nature of the agreement between Bhumjaithai and the People’s Party.
He warned that such a deal would effectively place Bhumjaithai under the control of the opposition party, undermining democracy and risking instability in government.
He said Mr Chaikasem should be chosen instead, as he had pledged to dissolve the House quickly.
Suratin Picharn, leader of the New Democracy Party and a list-MP, voiced support for Mr Anutin, saying voters had entrusted him with their mandate. He praised Mr Anutin for visiting border communities during recent tensions with Cambodia, expressing confidence that his leadership would bring peace along the border.
Adisorn Piangkes, a Pheu Thai list-MP, raised suspicions of alleged attempts to buy votes in the House, with sums ranging from 1.5 to 2 billion baht, urging Mr Anutin to clarify the allegations to protect the dignity of the premiership.
His remarks drew protests from some Pheu Thai MPs who had reportedly switched sides and were supporting Mr Anutin.
Cholnan Srikaew, a Pheu Thai MP for Nan, said Mr Anutin should be disqualified on constitutional and legal grounds.
He criticised the Bhumjaithai-People’s Party pact as a dangerous compromise that would allow 14 million votes to be traded away to a party that won only one million votes in the 2023 election, thereby inviting external influence over democratic institutions.
Wittaya Kaewparadai, a list-MP from the United Thai Nation Party, questioned Mr Chaikasem’s capacity to serve, noting that he had resigned as an MP in 2023 due to health issues.
He said Mr Chaikasem’s pledge to dissolve the House immediately after being elected would not resolve pressing challenges such as the lack of a functioning government and sovereignty disputes.
While Mr Anutin’s deal with the People’s Party to pursue full constitutional amendments was a concern, Mr Wittaya said he would support the Bhumjaithai leader if he confirmed that key provisions — including Chapters 1 and 2 relating to the monarchy — would remain untouched.
Mr Natthaphong, the final speaker in the debate, addressed concerns over the minority government issue, saying that after his party announced the agreement, Pheu Thai initially accepted the proposal and was ready to dissolve the House immediately, but some Pheu Thai MPs later disagreed.
He said Pheu Thai’s arguments during the debate failed to clarify their guiding principles.
Mr Natthaphong insisted that the next four to six months would be a turning point in Thai politics, with his party committed to building the strongest opposition in history if necessary. He urged Pheu Thai to join in strengthening the opposition and moving toward elections.
He said his party made its decision to back Mr Anutin in order to unlock the political deadlock and pave the way for elections and constitutional reform.
Mr Natthaphong concluded by saying all political parties must now prepare for the next election within the four- to six-month timeframe, stressing that their credibility would depend on keeping promises.
