Opposition Leader Becomes Thai Prime Minister, the Third In Two Years 

Thai lawmakers elected business tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul as prime minister over the weekend, the country’s third leader in two years after the removal of his predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the powerful Shinawatra dynasty, the BBC reported. 

On Friday, lawmakers voted to replace Paetongtarn of the ruling Pheu Thai party, who was dismissed by the constitutional court last week over ethical violations tied to a border dispute with Cambodia. 

Anutin, who is the leader of the conservative opposition Bhumjaithai party, secured a victory over Pheu Thai candidate Chaikasem Nitisiri after receiving support from the progressive People’s Party, another opposition party, and the largest in the lower house. 

His election followed months of political uncertainty in the Southeast Asian nations that began after a leaked phone call between Paetongtarn and Cambodian strongman Hun Sen over a border dispute. The dispute later resulted in a five-day conflict between the two countries’ militaries that killed 43 people in July. 

The scandal prompted the Bhumjaithai party to leave the Pheu Thai-led coalition and the constitutional court to dismiss Paetongtarn. 

The court’s ruling marked the fifth time a Shinawatra-backed prime minister has been removed, dealing a fresh blow to a political family repeatedly ousted by courts or coups since Paetongtarn’s father, Thaksin Shinawatra, first became prime minister in 2001. 

Her dismissal came less than a year after she took office, seen initially as a political comeback for the Shinawatra clan.  

On Thursday, Thaksin left Thailand on a private jet bound for Dubai, saying he intended to return by Sept. 9 for a court hearing that could send him back to prison. 

The scandal and dismissal have once again highlighted the fragility of Thai politics, while prompting questions about the longevity of the new prime minister. 

Anutin struck a deal with the People’s Party, promising to hold elections within four months and pursue constitutional reform.  

Observers noted that the new prime minister will have limited room for maneuver as his Bhumjaithai Party only holds 69 of 500 seats in parliament, leaving him reliant on support from the People’s Party. 

On Saturday, Anutin named key cabinet members made up of political veterans, including former Treasury Department head Ekniti Nitithanprapas as finance minister and respected diplomat Sihasak Phuangketkeow as foreign minister, Reuters wrote. 

Their appointments – pending royal approval – come as Thailand struggles with slowing economic growth and seeks stability after months of turmoil. 

The conservative leader – who gained prominence by liberalizing marijuana laws when he was health minister in 2022 – called for unity in his first remarks as prime minister and said all sides must work together to “move our country forward at the speed that could compensate for the opportunities that were lost.”