Bangkok, Sept 6: Veteran Thailand politician Anutin Charnvirakul won a vote in Parliament on Friday (September 5, 2025) to become the country’s next Prime Minister, according to an unofficial running tally broadcast live on television.Anutin, leader of the Bhumjaithai party, won more than 247 votes — the required majority — from the House of Representative’s 492 active members. His total must be certified after voting is completed. He and his government are expected to take office in a few days after obtaining a formal appointment from King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Anutin succeeds Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was dismissed by court order as Prime Minister last week after being found guilty of ethics violations over a politically compromising phone call with neighbouring Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen.
The dispute erupted into a deadly five-day armed conflict in July.
Anutin had served in Paetongtarn’s Cabinet, but he resigned his position and withdrew his party from her coalition government after news of the leaked phone call caused a public uproar.
Only five candidates, nominated during the last general election in 2023, were eligible under Thailand’s constitutional rules.
Pheu Thai, currently leading a caretaker government, attempted to dissolve Parliament on Tuesday, but the acting Prime Minister said their request was rejected by the king’s Privy Council.
The 58-year-old Anutin had served in the Pheu Thai-led coalition government that took power in 2023 and before that in the military-backed but elected government under former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
Anutin is best known for successfully lobbying for the decriminalization of cannabis, a policy that is now being more strictly regulated for medical purposes. He also played a high-profile role as health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was accused of tardiness in obtaining adequate vaccine supplies to fight the virus.