Thailand's acting Prime Minister dissolves parliament

Thailand’s political landscape is once again in turmoil after acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai moved to dissolve parliament on Wednesday, his party announced.

The decision follows the largest opposition bloc, the People’s Party, backing a rival candidate for the premiership, raising the possibility of fresh elections before the end of the year.

The move comes just two years after the last general election in May 2023, and amid a power vacuum that has gripped the top office since Friday, when Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was removed by the Constitutional Court over an ethics violation.

Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai party, still acting in a caretaker capacity, had sought the support of the People’s Party to back its nominee for Prime Minister. Instead, the People’s Party threw its weight behind conservative tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul, a former deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister.

Moments after the People’s Party announcement, Pheu Thai secretary general Sorawong Thienthong told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Phumtham had “submitted a house dissolution decree.” Whether a caretaker government holds the authority to dissolve parliament remains legally contested, but if approved by the King, elections would have to be held within 45 to 60 days.

Political analyst Titipol Phakdeewanich of Ubon Ratchathani University told AFP, “It’s likely an election will happen in the next few months. 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 indicated that its support for Anutin is conditional on holding a new election within four months, meaning his appointment could still lead to polls later this year.

Public frustration is palpable. Kanjana Sangkasupan, a 23-year-old Bangkok hairdresser, said, “It’s always the same power struggles, while our lives remain unchanged. As a member of the young generation, I want a new kind of politics.”

- The rise of Anutin Charnvirakul -

Anutin, heir to a construction fortune, commands a 143-seat parliamentary bloc and has pledged to take office immediately. “Forming a government is essential, and we understand the party is seeking a way to resolve the crises,” he told reporters. His allies have filed criminal complaints against acting Prime Minister Phumtham, accusing him of abuse of power and unauthorized petitions to the King, potential violations under Thailand’s strict lese-majeste laws, which carry penalties of up to 15 years per offense.

Anutin previously served as deputy Prime Minister, interior minister, and health minister, and in 2022, he oversaw the legalization of cannabis. He also faced backlash for blaming Western tourists for spreading COVID-19, later issuing an apology.

- Political context -

Pheu Thai has long represented the Shinawatra dynasty, which has clashed for decades with Thailand’s pro-monarchy, pro-military elite. Its key coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, abandoned the pact after Paetongtarn’s controversial handling of a border dispute with Cambodia, which led to her ousting.

The People’s Party now fills the vacuum left by the Move Forward party, which won the most seats in the 2023 election advocating military reform and changes to lese-majeste laws before being dissolved by court order. Analysts say a new election could see the People’s Party continue Move Forward’s reformist agenda.

In Bangkok, 34-year-old Itthirat Sutannachana told AFP, “I’ll give them a chance as a new face to see if they can do anything differently.”