Nationalism, a deep network of local patronage and a promise to safeguard Thailand’s faltering economy catapulted Anutin Charnvirakul back into the prime minister’s office.
By his own admission, the win exceeded expectations. His Bhumjaithai Party secured 193 of the 500 parliamentary seats, according to early unofficial tallies late on Monday – “even more than I asked for”, Anutin told reporters – albeit from what looks likely to be one of Thailand’s lowest voter turnouts in decades.
Analysts say Sunday’s election marks a sharp rightward shift for Thailand after a quarter-century of pro-democracy forces winning at the ballot box.
The reformist People’s Party, which won the popular vote in 2023, slid to a distant second with a projected 118 seats, positioning it as the main opposition in a parliament that now leans decisively conservative.
Indeed, the result points to “an electoral right-wing turn” consolidating conservative control, according to Paul Chambers, a political scientist at Singapore’s ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.
Anutin’s campaign was buoyed by nationalist sentiment following a border flare-up with Cambodia and buttressed by powerful establishment figures, from political dynasties to business elites, who acted as his surrogates throughout the race.
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