The vote comes exactly six days after Paetongtarn Shinawatra - the youngest prime minister in Thailand's history - was voted out of office by the Constitutional Court for violating ethical standards.
In a leaked phone call in June, she was accused of "drinking water" with Cambodian Senate Speaker Hun Sen, as the two countries stood on the brink of armed conflict. A few weeks later, the fighting broke out for 5 days, making public opinion even more harsh in criticism.
Ms. Paetongtarn's resounding victory in August 2024 - when she won nearly 2/3 of the parliamentary votes - is now just a short memory. Her deposition as the fifth prime minister in 17 years has forced her to leave her seat due to the Constitutional Court's ruling, showing the endless tense confrontation between the Shinawatra faction and the conservative, army-royal faction.
In that context, Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul (58 years old) - leader of the Bhumjaithai Party - emerged as the most promising candidate for Thai Prime Minister. Appearing at the National Assembly on the morning of September 5 in a light blue suit and tie, Mr. Anutin bowed to welcome the portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn before entering the meeting room - a move that attracted the attention of Thai media.
According to regulations, candidates need at least 50 nominating members to be voted on. To become prime minister, candidates must win over 247 of the 492 seats in the lower house. With 146 lawmakers in the alliance and 143 more votes of support from the People's Party - even though this party chose to sit in the opposition, Mr. Anutin is almost certain to reach the finish line.
Bhumjaithai was once an ally in the ruling coalition led by the Pheu Thai party but turned his back on the phone leak that cost Ms. Paetongtarn her position. This turning point opens up an opportunity for Mr. Anutin to become the head of the government.
Mr. Anutin, who was a billionaire in the construction sector, held the position of deputy prime minister and stood out as Minister of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is known for his controversial policy: legalizing medical marijuana in the 2023 election. He is also recognized as a contributor to the reopening of international tourism, an important economic pillar of Thailand.
However, the vote could be overshadowed by the dramatic departure of Thaksin Shinawatra - the "soul" of Pheu Thai. Last night, the 76-year-old billionaire suddenly took a private plane from Bangkok to Dubai, leaving the Pheu Thai party in turmoil.
Thaksin said on social media X that he went to Dubai for a health check-up and will return on September 8. This is also where he lived in captivity for 15 years to avoid prison terms for abuse of power and conflicts of interest during his term as prime minister from 2001-2006.
According to the online flight tracking page, Mr. Thaksin's plane was initially headed for Singapore, then rounded Malaysia, flyed around the Andaman Sea many times before turning west to Dubai.
Next week, the Supreme Court of Thailand will issue a verdict on the "14th Floor cases". The case accused Mr. Thaksin of pretending to be sick to serve his sentence on the 14th floor of the Police Hospital instead of serving a prison term.
