Thailand Elects Third PM in Just Two Years

(MENAFN) With its third administration in just two years now in office, Thailand’s volatile political landscape is once again in flux, with analysts warning that further upheaval is all but inevitable as the country’s entrenched political, judicial, and military factions continue to vie for dominance.

Earlier this month, political tensions escalated dramatically when Thailand’s royal family blocked an attempt by then-acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to dissolve parliament and trigger snap elections. The royal intervention forced lawmakers to reconvene and hold a fresh vote to select a new premier.

In a surprise outcome, Anutin Charnvirakul, head of the conservative Bhumjaithai Party, emerged victorious in the legislative ballot, defeating Chaikasem Nitisiri of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, becoming Thailand’s 32nd prime minister.

“This is classic Thai politics,” Mark Cogan, associate professor of peace and conflict studies at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan, told media.

“It’s a little bit of history repeating. Governments form, crises develop, followed by a period of intervention by the military or judiciary, and then a new government forms. This repeats again and again,” he said.

What led to the leadership shake-up?
Thailand’s current political turbulence has its roots in the 2023 general elections—held after nearly a decade of military-led rule following the 2014 coup. The results delivered a fragmented parliament.

The Pheu Thai Party, long associated with political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra and bolstered by rural support, cobbled together a coalition that included the conservative Bhumjaithai Party, paving the way for Srettha Thavisin to assume the role of prime minister.

However, Srettha’s term was cut short after the Constitutional Court ruled against him for appointing a convicted lawyer to his administration—prompting his removal just a year into the job.

Following his exit, Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, stepped into the role, becoming the third prime minister from the Shinawatra dynasty. But her leadership quickly unraveled after a controversial leaked phone call surfaced in which she appeared to criticize a top Thai military official during a conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The call ignited widespread backlash amid heightened border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.

A group of senators appointed by the military filed a misconduct petition, prompting the Constitutional Court to suspend Paetongtarn pending further investigation.

Although Bhumjaithai controls only 69 seats in parliament, Anutin clinched the premiership with backing from the progressive People’s Party, formerly known as the Move Forward Party.

In the 2023 election, Move Forward secured the most seats—151—on an ambitious platform advocating for institutional reform and changes to the monarchy’s role. However, the Constitutional Court later dissolved the party for its push to amend Thailand’s strict lese-majeste law, which prohibits criticism of the royal family.

The party’s former leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, was barred from holding political office. In the wake of the court’s ruling, the party rebranded itself as the People’s Party.

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