THAI PARLIAMENT RE-ELECTS ANUTIN AS PRIME MINISTER

By Kenny Teng

BANGKOK, March 19 (Bernama) -- Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul was re-elected prime minister on Thursday after securing a parliamentary majority.

Official results released by the Thai Parliament showed Anutin, who is the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, won 293 votes, defeating People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, who received 119 votes.

Out of the 498 members who cast ballots, 86 abstained.

The voting began at around 12 pm local time and lasted more than an hour, with House Speaker Sophon Zaram concluding the process at 1.20 pm before adjourning the session.

The result cements Anutin’s position, as he comfortably surpassed the 251-vote threshold required to be elected prime minister and form the next government.

The Bhumjaithai-led coalition, which includes the Pheu Thai Party and support from 13 smaller parties, is expected to control 292 of the 499 seats in parliament.

Sophon is expected to submit Anutin’s name to King Maha Vajiralongkorn for royal endorsement.

Earlier, several Members of Parliament, including all MPs from the Democrat Party, abstained from the vote, citing ethical concerns.

On March 4, the Election Commission officially endorsed 499 parliamentary seats from the February general election, showing that the Bhumjaithai Party secured 192 seats, followed by the People’s Party with 120 seats, the Pheu Thai Party (74) and Kla Tham (58).

Anutin, 59, was elected in September 2025 to succeed Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was removed from office by a court ruling over an ethics case. 

Before ascending to the country's top job, Anutin has also held the portfolios of interior and public health, and played a key role in Thailand’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Born in Bangkok, Anutin is the eldest son of former interior minister Chavarat Charnvirakul.

He was educated at Assumption College and obtained an engineering degree from Hofstra University in 1989, followed by a Mini MBA from Thammasat University in 1990.

Anutin, heir to a major construction fortune, previously served as president of Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction PCL, which has been involved in major state projects, including Suvarnabhumi Airport.

An engineer by training, he entered politics in 1996 as an adviser to the foreign minister and later served as deputy minister of public health and commerce.

He was banned from politics for five years following the dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai Party in 2006, before returning in 2012 to lead the Bhumjaithai Party.

-- BERNAMA