The Tamesis
Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charvirakul rode a wave of nationalist sentiment to a landslide victory in Thailand’s general election.
Anutin’s conservative Bhum Jai Thai, a pro-military and pro-monarchy party, had its best electoral performance of the two elections on Sunday. Border conflict breaks out with Cambodia last year.
Voters, especially in rural areas, are less willing to support the reformist People’s Party and Pheu Thai. The party was previously dominated by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (currently in prison). These two parties were the strongest performers in the last elections in 2023.
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According to the Election Commission’s results after 90% of the votes were counted, Bhum Jai Thai won nearly 200 seats. It is currently evaluating partners to form a new coalition government to ensure it has more than half of the 500 seats in the lower house of parliament.
Anutin, the son of a construction magnate, has so far managed to avoid the fallout from a multi-billion dollar cyber fraud network operating in neighboring countries such as Cambodia and Myanmar.
Boosting the economy may be the biggest test
One of his biggest challenges will be addressing the country’s lackluster economic growth.
this People’s Party According to preliminary results, Pheu Thai is expected to win about 115 seats, with Pheu Thai expected to come in third.
Pheu Thai is seen as a potential coalition partner for Anutin as they were allies before Bhum Jai Thai withdrew due to a scandal over the Cambodian border dispute. But analysts say he may also work with smaller parties to give the BJT a bigger parliamentary cushion.
Anutin, who took office in September, declined on Monday to discuss potential coalition talks.
“Everything is still being considered and ongoing. In any case, I have to take this matter to the party meeting first,” he told reporters. “There are still procedures that need to be followed.”
Pheu Pheu Thai suffered its worst performance since Thaksin founded his political dynasty after his daughter Paetongtarn was ousted as prime minister over her handling of a border dispute with Cambodia.
Thaksin is serving a one-year prison sentence for corruption during his time in office.
Paul Chambers, associate senior fellow at Singapore’s Yusof Issa Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, told AFP that Pham won by “emphasizing his commitment to nationalism and the king.”
Conservatives also benefit from Pheu Thai’s continued unpopularity. leaked phone calls In it, Paetongtarn calls former Cambodian leader Hun Sen her “uncle” and refers to Thai military commanders as her “rivals.”
The leak sparked a public and political backlash, and she was later fired by the Constitutional Court over ethics complaints.
The conflict with Cambodia, which has killed dozens of people on both sides and displaced about a million people, is a top concern for voters.
Support charter reform
“I hope the border areas remain peaceful first. Then the government can move on to other issues,” said Prae Sangmanee, a 46-year-old tailor near a shopping mall in Bangkok.
“If the borders are secure, the economy should be able to move forward.”
Shortly after Petondan was dismissed, Anutin became prime minister, authorizing the armed forces to take any action they deemed appropriate on the border.
The Thai military took control of several disputed areas in the latest fighting in December and a fragile ceasefire remains in place.
The Southeast Asian nation’s political history is littered with military coups, bloody street protests and judicial interventions.
Its constitution, drafted under military rule after the last coup in 2014, gives significant powers to a body appointed by the Senate, which is not directly elected.
Some 60% of voters were said to support constitutional reform in principle in Sunday’s referendum, although no specific measures were proposed.
But Bhum Jai Thai will now be able to guide the reform process, and its conservative instincts make radical change less likely.
Investors reacted positively to Monday’s election results, with Thai shares rising more than 3% and the baht also strengthening after Anutin’s apparent victory suggested policy stability was more likely.
- Jim Pollard and AFP
See also:
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Conflict breaks out again on Thailand-Cambodia border over landmines
“Fraud billionaire” Chen Zhi arrested in Cambodia and flown to China
Countries seize US$700 million in Prince Group assets in pursuit of “fraudulent billionaire”
The devastation of Myanmar’s disastrous civil war spreads to Thailand
Thailand plans to build dams to clean up toxic runoff from Myanmar gold mines
Thailand cracks down on fraud hub on two fronts, leaving thousands in trouble
