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Agence France-Presse

Thailand’s acting prime minister has moved to dissolve parliament, his party said on Wednesday, after the largest opposition party backed a rival candidate to lead the country.
The decision – a potentially legally fraught one – could see the kingdom hold fresh elections before the year’s end, just two years after it last went to the polls in May 2023.
A power vacuum has consumed Thailand’s top office since Friday, when prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was ousted by the Constitutional Court over an ethics breach.
Her Pheu Thai Party – still governing in a caretaker capacity – had courted the power-broking opposition People’s Party to back its new candidate for prime minister.
But the People’s Party instead declared its support for conservative tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul.
Just moments later, Pheu Thai secretary general Sorawong Thienthong said that acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai “has submitted a house dissolution decree”.
According to the Thai constitution, if the king approves the dissolution of parliament, an election must take place between 45 and 60 days later.
“It’s likely an election will happen in the next few months,” Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist from Ubon Ratchathani University, said.
“An election might be the best solution for the country, because now it’s almost impossible to form a normal government.”


The People’s Party also said its backing of Anutin was conditional on house dissolution within four months – meaning his elevation to office would likely lead to fresh polls, albeit on a later timescale.
“It’s always the same power struggles, while our lives remain unchanged,” complained 23-year-old Bangkok hairdresser Kanjana Sangkasupan.
“As a member of the young generation, I want a new kind of politics.”
The People’s Party pledged its 143-strong parliamentary bloc to back Anutin, heir to a construction engineering fortune, who told reporters it was “the duty of MPs” to vote him into office.
“Forming a government is essential, and we understand the party is seeking a way to resolve the crises,” he said.
The People’s Party said they would vote him in as soon as Friday.
Meanwhile, one of Anutin’s lieutenants said he entered a criminal complaint against Phumtham, accusing him of abuse of power for bidding to dissolve parliament.
It is unclear whether that complaint will result in charges; likewise, a second made by a backbench MP accusing Phumtham of royal defamation for petitioning the king for dissolution without proper authority.
Thailand’s strict lèse-majesté laws shield the king and his close family from criticism, and carry a maximum sentence of up to 15 years per offence.
Anutin previously served as deputy prime minister, interior minister and health minister – delivering on a promise to legalise cannabis in 2022.
Charged with the tourist-dependent kingdom’s Covid-19 response, he accused Westerners of spreading the virus and was forced to apologise after a backlash.
But with parliamentary dissolution pending, it is unclear whether he will make it to the top office.

Pheu Thai is the current electoral vehicle of the Shinawatra dynasty, which has for two decades jousted with the kingdom’s pro-monarchy, pro-military elite.
But their influence is in decline, analysts say, their move to dissolve parliament is more evidence of flagging momentum.
Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party was a key coalition backer of Paetongtarn, but abandoned their pact to govern this summer over her conduct during a border row with Cambodia.
That same dispute saw Paetongtarn sacked by the Constitutional Court last Friday.
Only candidates nominated as potential premiers in the 2023 election are eligible for the office, and a streak of turmoil has seen the number of potential leaders whittled down to just five.
The People’s Party succeeded the Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in the 2023 polls after campaigning to reduce military influence and reform Thailand’s tough lèse-majesté laws.
The bid to relax royal defamation laws resulted in Move Forward being dissolved by court order, but any new election could see the People’s Party resurrect the campaign.
At a Bangkok shopping centre, Itthirat Sutannachana, 34, said they would have his vote.
“I’ll give them a chance as a new face to see if they can do anything differently,” he said.


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Thailand

Thailand’s acting leader moves to dissolve parliament to block rival’s PM bid

Demonstrators with Thai national flags during a protest in Bangkok on August 31. Photo: EPA

Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul arrives at parliament in Bangkok on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Groundhog day as Thai court sacks PM Paetongtarn and Shinawatra clan runs out of options

Thailand’s sacked prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra waves from a car as she leaves Government House after her dismissal by the Constitutional Court in Bangkok on Friday. Photo: AFP

Anutin Charnvirakul in 2024. The Bhumjaithai party leader is among five candidates eligible to contest a vote to become the next prime minister. Photo: AFP

Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (left) hugs his daughter Paetongtarn ahead of her appointment as Thailand’s prime minister on August 18, 2024. Photo: AP

A supporter of Thailand’s sacked prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra reacts after the court ruling on her dismissal at the Pheu Thai party headquarters in Bangkok on Friday. Photo: AFP

A street vendor waits for customers in Bangkok earlier in August. Thailand has cut growth forecasts back to 2.3 per cent this year. Photo: EPA

Thailand’s next PM: will pro-democracy People’s Party reformists decide?

Demonstrators wearing accessories and face paint in the colours of Thailand’s national flag hold a sign reading ‘No prime minister from the Pheu Thai Party’ during a protest in Bangkok on Sunday. Photo: EPA

Paetongtarn Shinawatra (centre) speaks at a news conference on Friday to address her removal from office. Photo: EPA

People’s Party spokesman Parit Wacharasindhu talks to the media following a meeting at party headquarters in Bangkok on Monday. Photo: EPA

Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul speaks at the party’s headquarters in Bangkok on Monday. Photo: AFP

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The decision came after the People’s Party said it would back tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul’s bid to form a new government


The decision came after the People’s Party said it would back tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul’s bid to form a new government.


Thailand’s acting leader moves to dissolve parliament to block rival’s PM bid

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The decision came after the People’s Party said it would back tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul’s bid to form a new government

The decision came after the People’s Party said it would back tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul’s bid to form a new government