Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, is tipped to become the next prime minister of Thailand after the People’s Party announced this morning that its 143 MPs will support his candidacy to replace Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was ousted by the Constitutional Court last week.
People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said at a press briefing that Bhumjaithai must provide his party with a written agreement confirming acceptance of its conditions.
The People’s Party will support Anutin only if he agrees to the following: the new government must dissolve the House of Representatives within four months of delivering its policy statement to Parliament and call a general election.
The new Cabinet must also organise a referendum on constitutional amendments, paving the way for the drafting of an entirely new charter by an elected constituent assembly, to be completed as soon as possible and no later than the day before the next general election.
Natthaphong stressed that the People’s Party will not join the government and will remain in opposition, fully scrutinising the new administration.
No member of the People’s Party will serve in the Cabinet. He added that once Anutin becomes prime minister, he must not attempt to turn his administration into a majority government.
The announcement followed two days of internal deliberations on whether the party would back Anutin or Chaikasem Nitisiri of the Pheu Thai Party.
Natthaphong said the decision came after careful consideration of the risks of returning to the same coalition that, in his words, “failed the country for the past two years,” as well as the danger of the coup leader reclaiming the premiership or an outsider prime minister emerging—both of which would undermine democratic principles.
He explained that, over the past five days, the party had studied its negotiations with Bhumjaithai, the People’s Party’s conditions, and mechanisms to ensure that the next prime minister honours those commitments.
Feedback from the party’s working groups and MPs nationwide was also incorporated.
The party’s executive board resolved that, if Parliament convenes to select a new prime minister, the People’s Party will vote in favour of Anutin, provided he accepts the following conditions:
- Dissolve the House of Representatives within four months of delivering the policy statement to Parliament, to pave the way for a general election.
- If the Constitutional Court rules that a referendum is required before amending Section 256 of the Constitution to allow the drafting of a new charter, the Cabinet must organise such a referendum and ensure that an elected constituent assembly is convened without delay and no later than the next general election.
- If the court rules that no referendum is required, the new Cabinet, together with the People’s Party and Bhumjaithai, must urgently push constitutional amendments to establish a process for drafting a new constitution by an elected constituent assembly, to be completed within the term of the current House.
- The new prime minister must not attempt to form a majority government. (Anutin’s administration is expected to command 151 MPs from his coalition, compared with Pheu Thai’s 196 MPs, leaving him to lead a minority government.)
This resolution will take effect only once Anutin formally signs the agreement and makes a public declaration.
“As leader of the People’s Party, I want to assure the public that this decision was not made for political gain or party interests,” Natthaphong said. “It was made with one goal: to guide the country toward a democratic solution, unlock the drafting of a new constitution, and swiftly return power to the people.”
