Anutin Elected as Prime Minister of Thailand

Anutin, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, received majority support in the afternoon vote in the Thai House of Representatives on September 5, and will serve as Thailand's Prime Minister.

58-year-old Anutin's appointment as Prime Minister ends the power vacuum left after former Prime Minister Paetongtarn was dismissed by the Constitutional Court over involvement in the “Phone Call Gate” scandal with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen.

In the morning, the Thai House of Representatives held a special session and elected a new Prime Minister to replace Paetongtarn, who was removed from office. After debate at noon, members from all parties cast their votes.

According to AFP, the House of Representatives has 492 members, and the official final result showed Anutin won 311 votes, surpassing the required threshold of 247 seats.

Deputy Speaker Charat announced on the spot that parliament approved Anutin's appointment as Prime Minister.

During the morning session, the Bhumjaithai Party formally nominated Anutin as the new Prime Minister of Thailand, while the Pheu Thai Party nominated former Minister of Justice Chaikasem for the position.

The Bhumjaithai Party was able to secure support from the opposition People's Party, which holds the most seats in parliament, thus winning the election as the 32nd Prime Minister of Thailand.

Anutin previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. He is a conservative royalist, previously holding key positions in the Pheu Thai-led coalition government in 2023, and also served under former Prime Minister Prayuth, supporting the legalization of medical cannabis.

Anutin's family are major shareholders of a large Thai construction company, which has won government building contracts such as the capital's airport and the parliament building.

Earlier analysis suggested that Anutin’s election as Prime Minister would severely weaken the influence of the Thaksin family, who have long dominated Thai politics.

● Prime ministerial tenure may be very short

However, Anutin's tenure as Prime Minister may be very short. The support of the People's Party was key to his election, but their condition was that a general election must be held within four months.

Anutin is a Thai of Chinese descent, with both parents being Chinese from Guangdong.

According to AFP, Anutin studied in New York, USA, in his early years. He is an engineer by profession who entered politics in his early 30s as an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, later becoming a minister and even Deputy Prime Minister.

Anutin's nickname is "Noo", which means "mouse" in Thai. He considers himself to be approachable and popular, and despite his immense wealth, he remains a fan of Thai street food.

On social media, Anutin is often seen wearing T-shirts and shorts, cooking with a wok, and playing the saxophone or piano, with a repertoire consisting of Thai pop music from the 1980s.

Anutin was once an official in Thaksin's party (then known as Thai Rak Thai Party). After the party was dissolved in 2007, he was banned from political activity for five years.

During his time away from politics, he spent spare time learning to fly and later formed a private plane team to help transport patients to hospitals as well as deliver donated organs for transplantation.

After returning to the political scene, Anutin became the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party. In the 2023 general election, the Bhumjaithai Party won 70 seats in the House of Representatives, ranking third.

The party has proved to be like a political chameleon, participating in several government coalitions. Anutin has served as deputy to Thailand’s last three prime ministers, including Paetongtarn.

After returning to politics, Anutin became leader of the Bhumjaithai Party. In the 2023 elections, the party won 70 seats in the House of Representatives, ranking third after Move Forward Party and Pheu Thai Party. The party has maneuvered between various parties, being a true political chameleon and a participant in multiple coalition governments. Anutin has served as deputy to the country's last three prime ministers, including Paetongtarn.