BANGKOK, September 5. /TASS/. The Thai Parliament has officially approved Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's new prime minister. His candidacy garnered support from 311 of the 492 members of the lower house, surpassing the simple majority required to assume leadership. Another contender for the position was 77-year-old Chaikasem Nitisiri of the Pheu Thai Party.
At 58, Charnvirakul brings extensive political experience. He previously served as Thailand’s deputy prime minister and interior minister within a coalition government led by Pheu Thai. In June, he resigned from his deputy role following the Bhumjaithai Party’s withdrawal from the coalition amid a scandal involving a leaked private phone conversation between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Hun Sen, the former Cambodian Prime Minister (1998-2023) and current Chairman of Cambodia's Senate.
From 2019 to 2023, Charnvirakul was Thailand’s Minister of Health, leading the nation’s efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic. His recent ascent to the premiership was facilitated by an agreement between Bhumjaithai and the opposition People's Party, which holds 143 seats in parliament. The opposition agreed to support Charnvirakul on the condition that the legislature be dissolved within four months of his appointment, paving the way for parliamentary elections anticipated in April or May 2026.
Notably, the People's Party will not join the new cabinet, resulting in a minority government led by Bhumjaithai. The party also aims to hold a referendum on drafting a new constitution. The move to elect a new prime minister followed the August 29 decision by Thailand’s Constitutional Court to remove Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra - daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (2001-2006) - from office. The court found her guilty of gross ethical violations related to the leaked conversation with Hun Sen. Her removal, along with the resignation of her entire cabinet, marked a significant political shift.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who became the country’s youngest prime minister at 37 years of age last August, was the second woman to hold the office.