Anutin Charnvirakul, a successful businessman and experienced politician, assumes the role of Thailand’s prime minister amidst significant political strife, pledging to serve with integrity and honor.
“His majesty the king has formally endorsed Mr Anutin Charnvirakul as the prime minister from this point forward,” stated Arpath Sukhanunth, the secretary-general of Thailand’s lower house of parliament, as he announced a royal command at Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok.
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Visuals shared on social media by Thai news agencies depicted Anutin in a gesture of respect before an image of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, followed by greetings to his family, including his father, a former interior minister.
In his remarks after taking his position, Anutin expressed his gratitude, saying it was an “infinite blessing and honor” for him and his family.
He also committed to performing his duties as prime minister “to the best of his abilities with honesty and righteousness for the welfare of the Thai people and the stability of Thailand”, as reported by Bangkok Post.
Anutin, at 58, represents the kingdom’s third leader in just two years, stepping into power with the support from the more prominent and progressive People’s Party, on the condition that he would call for parliamentary dissolution within four months to pave the way for elections.
A recent survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration, unveiled on Sunday, revealed that 59.24 percent of voters advocate for an immediate dissolution of parliament, while 27 percent endorse a four-month timeline.
The survey further disclosed that nearly 60 percent of respondents back constitutional amendments in the country.
Following his rise to power, Anutin ousted the Shinawatra clan’s Pheu Thai party on Friday, which had held onto the top office since the 2023 elections but faced a setback with the dismissal of their candidate, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as prime minister by court order last month.
In a swift move on Saturday, he named a slate of high-caliber individuals, including a veteran economist, an executive from the energy sector, and a seasoned diplomat, to key posts in finance, energy, and foreign affairs, aiming to restore confidence in the government.
Anutin boasts previous experience as deputy prime minister, interior minister, and health minister, with a specific mention of his successful pledge to decriminalise cannabis in 2022, which has garnered him considerable recognition.
He takes the helm at a critical juncture for Thailand’s second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, which has been contending with sluggish growth amid protracted political unrest.
