Thai lawmakers pick new PM as early election looms

Thai lawmakers are convening on Friday to vote for a new prime minister, with major parties vowing to dissolve Parliament and hold fresh elections as a strategy to address the nation's ongoing political turmoil. Under Thailand's constitution, only five candidates from the 2023 general election are eligible. Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, appears to be the strongest contender for the position.

The Constitutional Court removed Pheu Thai's Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office last week, citing violations of ethics rules related to a phone conversation with Cambodia's Senate President Hun Sen regarding border disputes. This conversation escalated into a five-day armed clash in July.

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Pheu Thai, which is currently overseeing a caretaker government, attempted to dissolve Parliament on Tuesday, but the request was denied by the king's Privy Council. On Thursday, the party announced it would nominate its remaining candidate, former attorney general and justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri, for the vote. If elected, Chaikasem pledged to dissolve the House immediately after his inaugural address to Parliament.

Meanwhile, Anutin claimed he has lined up 146 votes from his Bhumjaithai Party and its allies. The People's Party, with 143 lawmakers, also announced its support for him, surpassing the 247 votes needed for a majority in the 492-seat House. At 58 years old, Anutin served in the Pheu Thai-led coalition that formed in 2023 and previously in the military-backed administration under former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. He is widely recognized for advocating the decriminalization of cannabis, a move now being refined for medical use only. As health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, he faced criticism for delays in securing sufficient vaccine supplies.

Should Anutin win, his party has committed to dissolving Parliament within four months, a deal brokered in exchange for backing from the People's Party. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People's Party, stated that his group would stay in opposition, potentially leaving the new government with a minority. The People's Party also stipulated that an Anutin-led administration must hold a referendum on drafting a new constitution through an elected assembly. The party has pushed for these changes to make the current constitution—imposed during a military regime—more democratic.

In the 2023 election, the People's Party (then called the Move Forward Party) secured the most seats but was blocked from forming a government. A combined vote of the House and Senate rejected their prime ministerial candidate due to opposition to their platform, which included reforms to the monarchy. The Senate, appointed by the military and aligned with Thailand's royalist establishment, voted against the progressive party. However, the Senate no longer has a say in prime minister selections.

Following this setback, Pheu Thai stepped in, with real estate executive Srettha Thavisin being approved as prime minister to head a coalition. His tenure lasted just one year before he was ousted by the Constitutional Court for ethical breaches. Srettha's successor, Paetongtarn—daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra—also served only a year. Her government was already fragile when Bhumjaithai, led by Anutin, exited the coalition shortly after her controversial June call with Hun Sen.This departure left Pheu Thai's alliance with a slim and precarious majority in Parliament.

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