Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul seeks a new mandate as parliament votes for prime minister, promising potential stability amid significant economic challenges.
BANGKOK: Anutin Charnvirakul will seek to be elected back to power on Thursday in a parliamentary vote for prime minister. The outcome could usher in a rare period of stability for a country long plagued by political turmoil.
His Bhumjaithai party-led alliance controls 290 of the 499 seats in parliament. To be elected prime minister, Anutin needs the support of more than half of the house, or 251 votes.
He could face a challenger in the second-placed People’s Party. Its leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, may be nominated to go head-to-head against Anutin.
It is unclear what support Natthaphong has beyond his party’s 120 seats. He said last week his intention was to use the vote to present his party’s vision to parliament.
Anutin’s success stems from opportunism amid the decline of the once-dominant Pheu Thai party. He first abandoned its coalition government before swiftly forming his own alliance after February’s election.
If Anutin prevails, he would have a clear mandate to lead a country facing major economic hurdles. Thailand’s long-stuttering economy is shackled by massive household debt and needs urgent structural reform.
The next prime minister also faces headwinds from trade uncertainty and the fallout of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Anutin’s survival instincts and ability to straddle political divides could prove his biggest asset.
Some analysts say Bhumjaithai has been spared the wrath of Thailand’s powerful military and judiciary. These institutions engineered the downfall of multiple previous governments and parties.
Napon Jatusripitak, a political scientist at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, said the prospects for medium-term stability were good. He noted Bhumjaithai is set to hold sway over both parliamentary houses.
“People have strong reasons to believe that this government can last,” Napon said. “It’s the first time in a long while that the referee and the players are on the same side.”
He added that there is control and a highly fragmented opposition.
