Anutin Charnvirakul appointed as new PM
Thailand has a new prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who has become the nation’s third leader in only two years. He was voted into office by parliament following the removal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, by the Constitutional Court. The court accused her of moral misconduct related to how she had dealt with a border dispute with Cambodia.
Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party distanced itself from the Shinawatra-led Pheu Thai coalition and picked up enough votes from other parties in parliament to secure his victory. But for Thailand, where numerous governments have been ousted by the courts or overthrown by the military, there are still concerns about how stable this new leadership will be.
Blow to the Shinawatra family’s influence
The ascension of Anutin represents a setback for the Shinawatra dynasty, a dominant force in Thai politics since 2001. Paetongtarn’s ouster is the newest in a prolonged series of court moves against the clan. Her father, Thaksin, and her aunt, Yingluck, were both prime ministers before they were removed by military coups in 2006 and 2014.
When Paetongtarn was named prime minister last year, it was widely viewed as the family’s return to power. But her ouster demonstrates that their relationship with the conservative-royalist establishment remains strained. Thaksin himself has now departed Thailand, making a flight to Dubai for medical treatment. He claims he will come back for a court hearing on September 9, a trial that could see him sent back to prison.
Who is Anutin Charnvirakul?
Anutin, 58, is widely respected in Thai politics as a master negotiator. His party, Bhumjaithai, has just 69 seats of 500 in parliament, so he has to depend on bigger factions to form a government. Previously, Bhumjaithai has defected between military-allied factions and the Pheu Thai party, depending on the situation. The party has no rigid ideology, which makes it malleable but also unreliable.
Anutin’s road to power was opened after a leaked telephone conversation between Paetongtarn and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen embarrassed and strained the coalition. He defected from the group and formed support from other parties, such as the People’s Party, which is now the largest in parliament. Although they are immensely different in style and opinion, both faction supported him so there would not be any more political stalemate.
Thailand embarks on another period of uncertainty, with numerous individuals inquiring if Anutin will succeed in serving longer than his recent predecessors as prime minister.
FAQs
1. Who has become Thailand’s new prime minister?
Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai Party leader.
2. Why was the former prime minister ousted?
Paetongtarn Shinawatra was ousted by the Constitutional Court on grounds of ethical offenses.
3. How many seats does Anutin’s party have?
Bhumjaithai holds 69 of 500 in parliament.
4. Why is the Shinawatra family significant?
They have held Thai politics since 2001, but mostly argued with Thailand’s conservative-royalist elite.
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