The Tamesis
February 12, 2026
Bangkok – Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul on Wednesday refused to discuss any options for the next coalition government, saying he wanted to see a clear, confirmed number of seats before making a decision.
Speaking at the Government House, Anutin neither confirmed nor denied reports that he may also serve as defense minister in a future cabinet led by Bhumjatai. He said that the Electoral Commission (EC) has not yet completed the counting of votes and the result is about 92-93%.
Asked whether his party would put forward any special agenda at Thursday’s meeting, Anutin said discussions would focus on the unofficial results, including reviewing errors to improve future campaigns.
Anutin said the number of seats is still changing
Asked whether he was already considering forming certain political parties, Anutin said he would like to see confirmed numbers from each party first. Even Bhumjaithai’s own tally had changed, he said: On the evening of February 8, it initially looked like the party could win around 180 constituency seats, but the numbers later dropped to 173-174, leading to instability.
Caretaker PM says government still must run country
When asked if there were plans to form a government, Anutin said he was trying to keep a clear head because as caretaker prime minister, he still had to run the country.
He said he could not spend all his time on coalition arithmetic, noting that incidents in the southern border provinces still occurred. He said security agencies and civilian authorities were working well together and urged the public to trust that the government did not stop serving the people during the election period.
“The next government must do better,” he said
When asked how many MPs are needed for a stable government, Anutin said he would study the issue step by step, using past experience and data to assess what helps the government work smoothly and what creates obstacles and risks. He said he still had time to consider the figures before the European Commission announced the results.
Asked if he was confident that the next government would be as good as the current one, Anutin said it would have to be better. He said that if the public has confidence in the ability of the current government team, he cannot allow the next government to get worse, but only improve.
He said the support he had received meant he could not act carelessly or simply follow his own preferences, adding that the votes “were on his shoulders” and he had to respond to the public’s confidence and goodwill.
Recount protests spread; Anutin tells officials to avoid use of force
A group of young supporters of the runner-up People’s Party staged protests in Chonburi’s 1st constituency and other provinces after the unofficial vote count was released late Sunday night, demanding a recount over alleged irregularities and a lack of transparency in the count.
While the People’s Party says it is not behind the protests, some prominent figures – including members and spiritual leaders linked to the defunct Future Forward party – have publicly urged supporters to demonstrate through television appearances and social media posts, demanding a nationwide recount.
Anutin said he had instructed provincial governors, regional chiefs and police to maintain law and order while maintaining tolerance and facilitating peaceful demonstrations.
“I told officials that they should focus on making sure they understand that everything has to be done in a gentle and respectful manner because people have the right to come forward and make demands within the legal framework,” he said.
He added that whether a recount could be conducted would depend on the European Commission and the regulations it promulgates.
