Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul: From construction scion to prime minister

HIGH-FLIER

Born to an influential politician-businessman, Anutin studied at an all-boys private school in Bangkok before heading to university in the United States for an engineering degree.

In 1990, he joined his father’s construction firm, Sino-Thai, and served as its president before stepping away from the private sector to enter government as deputy minister of public health under Thaksin in 2004.

Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai party was dissolved in 2007 by a court order that also handed a five-year ban to Anutin, who returned to politics as leader of Bhumjaithai in 2012.

In the decade since, Anutin has leveraged not only the connections of Bhumjaithai founder Newin Chidchob to shore up provincial support, but also his own influence with the conservative elite to place his party in successive governments.

Since 2023, he has served as interior minister in two administrations led by Pheu Thai prime ministers.

“Bhumjaithai has been part of the government for many, many years, almost in every single Cabinet, and usually controls lucrative ministries,” said Napon.

Anutin’s path to power, however, has required the support of the People’s Party, the successor of the progressive Move Forward that he blocked from forming the government in 2023, but that will now provide outside support to Bhumjaithai’s coalition.

“We know that the People’s Party has cooperated and made sacrifices in finding a solution for Thailand during a period of crises,” Anutin told reporters on Wednesday, after securing the endorsement.

Outside of business and politics, Anutin’s interests include collecting Buddhist amulets and recreational flying, which he sometimes uses to facilitate emergency organ donations.

With Thailand’s stuttering economy facing serious headwinds, tensions with neighbouring Cambodia on a knife-edge after a deadly border war and the spectre of more political turmoil, an ability to handle turbulence could prove useful in Anutin’s new job.