High political drama in Thailand: PM sacked, rival eyes top job but ruling party moves to block bid

Thailand is witnessing one of its most turbulent political moments in years, with the ouster of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra triggering a scramble for power that has pitted old rivals against one another and thrown the country’s fragile democracy into fresh uncertainty.

On Wednesday, Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the mid-sized Bhumjaithai Party declared he had secured enough parliamentary support to become Thailand’s next prime minister. The 58-year-old, a former health minister best known for decriminalising cannabis during the COVID-19 era, claimed he had built a coalition of seven parties and groups commanding 146 seats in the lower house.

Importantly, his bid has been bolstered by the progressive opposition People’s Party which holds nearly a third of the chamber.

Days of political deadlock appeared to ease when the People’s Party, known for its anti-establishment stance, announced its backing for Anutin in return for his promise to dissolve parliament within four months.

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The arrangement, according to its leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, was designed to prevent interference by “powerful interests outside of politics” and avert the return of what he described as an unfit coalition.

“Our decision is about finding a solution for the country based on parliamentary democratic principles, preventing outside forces from interfering, and unlocking the process towards a new constitution and returning the power to the people as soon as possible,” Natthaphong said, adding that a parliamentary vote could take place as early as Friday.

For Anutin, who said he would lead only a short-lived minority government until new elections were held, the support was a breakthrough moment. “The party has cooperated and made sacrifices in finding a solution for Thailand during a period of crises,” he told reporters, stressing that his priority was to stabilise the country.

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But even as Anutin moved to consolidate his numbers, the ruling Pheu Thai Party sought to undercut his advance. The party, dominated by the billionaire Shinawatra dynasty, petitioned King Maha Vajiralongkorn to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections,  a move it said was necessary to restore stability after Paetongtarn’s dramatic dismissal.

“The situation right now shows how the democratic system has been twisted,” said acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. “We decided to hand power back to the people to decide. But this is a royal prerogative.”

Legal experts are divided on whether a caretaker administration has the authority to request dissolution, injecting further uncertainty into the already volatile environment.

Paetongtarn’s ouster last Friday for an ethics violation marked the latest chapter in Thailand’s two-decade power struggle between the Shinawatra family and its conservative, royalist adversaries.

She was the sixth Shinawatra-linked leader to be forced from office by either the military or the courts and the second in less than a year. The episode has reinforced perceptions of a political system deeply vulnerable to elite interference and institutional intervention.

Anutin’s rise could prove a decisive test. His coalition would not formally include the People’s Party, but their 143 lawmakers’ backing could give him the 247 votes needed to cross the threshold for premiership in the 500-member lower house. Yet whether his temporary government can survive even its short intended lifespan will depend on how Thailand’s powerful establishment reacts.

For Pheu Thai, which has dominated Thai politics by winning five of the past six elections, the prospect of being sidelined by a smaller party and its former allies is nothing short of humiliating. Once confident of its ability to hold together a coalition, the party has been rapidly losing partners to Bhumjaithai’s dealmaking blitz since June.

The high-stakes political contest has once again laid bare the fragility of Thailand’s democracy, where repeated cycles of electoral triumphs by the Shinawatras have often ended in judicial or military interventions. Whether Anutin can break that cycle even temporarily may become clear within days.

With inputs from agencies