Anutin Charnvirakul Elected Thai Prime Minister, Ending Week of Political Deadlock

Bangkok, Sept 2025 – Thailand’s long-standing political player Anutin Charnvirakul was elected prime minister on Friday, sweeping through a decisive parliamentary vote that dealt a crushing blow to the Shinawatra family’s once-dominant ruling party. His victory brought an end to a turbulent week marked by chaos, protests, and high-stakes maneuvering.

With crucial support from the opposition, Anutin easily crossed the threshold of more than half the lower house votes required to assume office. The outcome capped days of drama in which he outmaneuvered the Pheu Thai party, historically Thailand’s most successful political force.

Veteran Deal-Maker

A 58-year-old political veteran and leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, Anutin has long thrived as a shrewd dealmaker, positioning his party strategically between rival elites locked in protracted power struggles. His ability to forge partnerships has ensured Bhumjaithai a place in successive coalition governments, regardless of who held power.

Anutin, who once ran his family’s construction firm, has held several senior posts, including deputy prime minister, interior minister, and health minister. During the pandemic, he served as Thailand’s COVID-19 czar, a role that cemented his national profile.

Though regarded as a staunch royalist and conservative, he earned attention for leading the push to decriminalize cannabis, which resulted in an explosion of marijuana retailers across the country.

A Humiliation for Pheu Thai

Anutin’s win came at the expense of rival contender Chaikasem Nitisiri of the Pheu Thai party, in what analysts describe as a humiliation for the Shinawatra dynasty. Billionaire founder Thaksin Shinawatra, once the most influential figure in Thai politics, quietly left for Dubai on Thursday night — a symbolic retreat after years of political dominance.

Pheu Thai’s crisis deepened in June when Anutin abruptly withdrew from its coalition alliance, leaving the government clinging to a razor-thin majority. Popular unrest and declining support soon followed.

The final blow came last week when the Constitutional Court dismissed Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, from the premiership. She became the sixth member of the family — or their chosen successor — to be ousted by military or judicial intervention.

Pact With the Opposition

Anutin’s path to power was paved by a surprise pact with the progressive People’s Party, the largest bloc in parliament. In exchange for its support, he pledged to hold a referendum on constitutional reform and to call fresh elections within four months.

Although the People’s Party will not formally join his government, its backing was pivotal in securing his majority. Anutin will now lead a minority administration tasked with steering an economy struggling with sluggish consumption, tight credit conditions, and record levels of household debt.

Thaksin’s Legal Troubles

Anutin’s ascent also reflects the diminishing clout of Thaksin and his family. Despite winning five of the last six elections, Pheu Thai has steadily hemorrhaged working-class support once secured through populist giveaways.

Thaksin, who spent 15 years in self-imposed exile, made a celebrated return from Dubai in 2023 to serve an eight-year prison sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest. Yet on his very first night, he was transferred to a hospital VIP ward on medical grounds.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn later commuted his sentence to one year, and Thaksin was released on parole after just six months. However, the Supreme Court is set to rule next week on whether his hospital stay counts as time served. If not, he could face a return to prison.

In a post on X, Thaksin wrote that he was in Dubai for medical checks and to “see old friends.” He vowed to return by September 8 to attend a court appearance the following day.

A New Chapter

For now, Anutin’s victory signals both a shift in Thailand’s balance of power and the waning influence of the Shinawatra dynasty. But with only a minority government and looming economic challenges, his grip on power may soon be tested.