Thailand’s New PM Anutin Promises Bold Reforms, Peace With Cambodia

Thailand’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, delivered a bold inaugural address to Parliament on Monday, outlining an ambitious agenda to tackle economic challenges, resolve the simmering border conflict with Cambodia, and push for a more democratic constitution. Facing a tight four-month deadline before promised elections, Anutin, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, emphasized diplomacy, economic relief, and systemic reforms to restore public trust.

Anutin’s rise to power follows a deal with the People’s Party, which holds the most parliamentary seats and secured his premiership in exchange for his commitment to call elections by January 2026. The progressive-leaning People’s Party has long advocated for replacing the military-imposed constitution with a more democratic charter. Anutin pledged to support a referendum for an elected constituent assembly to draft a new constitution, reinforcing Thailand’s constitutional monarchy while encouraging public participation. “We will uphold democracy and ensure the people’s voices are heard,” he declared.

The border dispute with Cambodia, which erupted into a deadly five-day conflict in July 2025, remains a pressing issue. The clashes, rooted in competing territorial claims, resulted in dozens of deaths and displaced over 260,000 people. Despite a fragile ceasefire, tensions persist. Anutin vowed to pursue diplomatic solutions, including revisiting a controversial memorandum of understanding on border issues through a public referendum. “We will seek peace through dialogue, ensuring stability for both nations,” he told lawmakers.

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Economically, Anutin’s government aims to alleviate household debt and address the rising costs of electricity, gasoline, and transportation. He also highlighted the need to mitigate the impacts of global trade wars and U.S. tariff policies, which have strained Thailand’s economy. To restore public confidence, Anutin promised a crackdown on corruption, illegal gambling, and crime, alongside improvements to the nation’s natural disaster alert systems, clean energy promotion, and air pollution reduction.

Anutin’s predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party, was ousted after an ethics violation involving a politically sensitive phone call with Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen. Anutin’s leadership now faces scrutiny from the People’s Party, which has positioned itself as the opposition and may challenge his initiatives. With his self-imposed deadline looming, Anutin’s ability to deliver on these promises will be critical to stabilizing Thailand’s political and economic landscape while averting further conflict with Cambodia.

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