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What to Know About Thailand's New Leader Anutin Charnvirakul

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  Published in Politics and Government on Friday, September 5th 2025 at 7:13 GMT by Time
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Thailand’s New Era: Anutin Charnvirakul’s Rise to Power and the Coalition that Holds the Kingdom

In a political landscape that has been anything but predictable for nearly a decade, Thailand has quietly shifted gears again. After the 2023 general election – the first to be held in a decade following the military coup that overthrew former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2014 – the country’s voters chose a coalition that could very well redefine the balance between monarchy, military, and civilian rule. The result? Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai Party’s charismatic war‑horse and former Deputy Prime Minister under the junta‑led government, has been appointed the nation’s 30th Prime Minister.

The Time article “Anutin Charnvirakul: Thailand’s New Prime Minister, Bhumjaithai, Pheu Thai, and the People’s Party” chronicles the path that led to Anutin’s ascension and explains why his appointment has the potential to either bring stability to a deeply divided polity or deepen the fault lines that have plagued Thailand for years.

From Business to Politics: The Making of Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin’s journey began in the private sector, where he made a name for himself as a real‑estate developer and entrepreneur. He entered the political arena in 2010, joining the Bhumjaithai Party (Party of Progress and Change), a center‑right party known for its emphasis on regional development, energy reform, and a pragmatic approach to the monarchy. The Time piece notes that Anutin’s moderate reputation and business credentials made him a natural candidate for the post‑junta political order, which has always been wary of overtly left‑leaning or monarch‑protesting voices.

In the 2019 elections, Anutin was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in the coalition that kept the military’s former chief, Prayut Chan‑ocha, in the government. Although his time in office was brief and largely ceremonial, the move cemented his status as a “kingmaker” in Thai politics.

The 2023 Election: A Fractured Mandate

The 2023 election was a turning point. Pheu Thai, the party that once championed Yingluck Shinawatra’s populist agenda, secured the most seats, yet it fell short of an outright majority. Bhumjaithai, the party that had been a stalwart of the military‑backed establishment, won a modest but pivotal number of seats. Other players, including the pro‑monarchy Palang Pracharat and the anti‑monarchy Move Forward Party, also made notable gains.

Time’s article explains that the post‑election negotiations were marked by a delicate balancing act. The Pheu Thai party, led by former Prime Minister Pita Limjaroenrat, was reluctant to form a coalition with the Palang Pracharat Party due to its strong ties to the military and perceived lack of reform. Instead, they turned to Bhumjaithai, a party with a moderate stance that had successfully navigated the murky waters between the military establishment and reformist elements.

The coalition agreement, as Time reports, hinges on a few key concessions: a commitment to a “constitutional monarchy” that limits the power of the king in political affairs, a pledge to tackle corruption, and an agreement to keep the military’s influence in check by reforming the constitution. In exchange, Bhumjaithai gains the premiership and the ability to push forward its agenda on rural development and energy reform.

Anutin’s Political Platform

The Time article delves into Anutin’s stated priorities. He has pledged to:

1. Restore Economic Growth – By focusing on infrastructure projects, especially in the northeast, and by promoting renewable energy projects that could help Thailand reduce its reliance on coal and oil.
2. Tame Corruption – Anutin claims that his administration will implement strict anti‑bribery measures, particularly targeting the elite “deep state” that has historically wielded power behind the scenes.
3. Strengthen the Constitutional Monarchy – He promises to maintain the king’s ceremonial role while reducing his influence over politics, a delicate promise that aims to placate both royalists and reformists.
4. Reform the Military’s Role – While avoiding a radical dismantling of the military’s political influence, Anutin has signaled a willingness to bring in civilian oversight.

The article also emphasizes that Anutin’s approach is a pragmatic blend of populist promises and establishment caution. He has been careful to keep his rhetoric relatively mild, especially when it comes to criticizing the monarchy—a politically sensitive move in a country where lese‑maitreah (defamation of the king) laws can carry severe penalties.

Coalition Dynamics: Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai

The Time piece highlights how the coalition works in practice. Pheu Thai, though the larger partner, is largely considered a “diplomatic front” for the coalition’s policy agenda, whereas Bhumjaithai provides the executive power. Anutin’s government must navigate the tension between Pheu Thai’s desire for sweeping social reforms and Bhumjaithai’s preference for incremental economic growth and cautious politics.

In practice, this dynamic means that key cabinet positions have been divided along party lines: Pheu Thai controls ministries like Education, Health, and Social Development, while Bhumjaithai has the powerful Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy. This arrangement ensures that the coalition can pass legislation but also signals that both parties need to keep each other in check to avoid policy stalemates.

The Bigger Picture: Thai Politics in Transition

The Time article places Anutin’s premiership in a broader context: a country that has been trying to reconcile its democratic aspirations with a monarchy and an influential military. Anutin’s approach appears to be a middle‑road strategy that seeks to:

• Maintain the status quo enough to keep the monarchy and military satisfied.
• Pursue reform enough to appease the “anti‑monarchy” protest movements that have dominated Thailand’s political discourse over the last decade.

The article warns that the coalition’s success hinges on its ability to deliver tangible economic benefits and to keep the military’s influence in check. It also points out that any misstep could trigger a backlash from either side: a pro‑monarchy backlash if reforms are seen as too radical, or a pro‑reform backlash if the government is perceived as too conservative.

Final Thoughts

Anutin Charnvirakul’s rise to the premiership is a milestone in Thai politics, signaling a potential new chapter where the military’s hold on power is gradually loosened while the monarchy’s symbolic influence remains intact. The Time article offers a detailed snapshot of how this delicate balance is being negotiated behind the scenes.

As Thailand watches its new government navigate the turbulent waters of reform, corruption, and economic revival, the world will be keen to see whether Anutin can keep the coalition intact and whether his pragmatic policies will finally provide the stability that has long eluded the kingdom. The next few months will be telling: they will reveal whether this coalition can move beyond the “talk of reform” to deliver real change, or whether the same old political forces will simply reassert themselves under a new banner.