Thailand’s parliament elected Anutin Charnvirakul, 58, as prime minister on Friday. He becoming the country’s third leader since 2023.
Anutin Charnvirakul won at least 273 votes in the lower house of parliament, more than the 247 needed to win. His rival, Chaikasem Nitisiri, a candidate from a bloc led by the powerful Shinawatra family, received 132 votes. Anutin’s victory was the result of a deal with the progressive opposition People’s Party, the largest force in parliament, for which he promised to hold a referendum on constitutional amendments and call elections within four months.
Anutin has served as deputy prime minister, interior minister and health minister.
Anutin will lead a minority government that excludes the People’s Party and will oversee a country whose economy is struggling with weak consumption, tight lending and soaring household debt.
The Kingdom of Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia, located in the southwestern part of the Indochina Peninsula and in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula. Until 1939 and in 1945-1949, the country was known as Siam. The capital is Bangkok; the official language is Thai, close to Lao and written in the Thai script.
