Thailand’s political scene has always been a whirlwind, but the past week has managed to outdo even the country’s own tumultuous standards. In a rapid and dramatic sequence of events, the Southeast Asian nation has seen the ousting of one prime minister, the sudden election of another, and the abrupt departure of a political heavyweight—all against a backdrop of deep-seated rivalries and constitutional intrigue.
On Friday, September 5, 2025, the Thai parliament elected Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the conservative Bhumjaithai Party, as the country’s new prime minister. Anutin, a 58-year-old business tycoon and seasoned political operator, secured the top job with 311 votes out of 492 active House members, a decisive margin over his rival, Chaikasem Nitisiri of the Pheu Thai Party, who garnered just 152 votes. There were 27 abstentions, reflecting the uncertainty and shifting allegiances that have come to define Thai politics, according to the BBC.
Anutin’s victory came hot on the heels of the removal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the previous prime minister, who was dismissed by the Constitutional Court on August 29, 2025, over violations of ministerial ethics related to her handling of a border dispute with Cambodia. The court’s decision marked the fifth time a Shinawatra-backed leader has been toppled by judicial intervention since the court’s establishment in 1997, as reported by The Conversation.
Paetongtarn’s ousting was more than just another chapter in the country’s ongoing saga of political instability. She is the daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, the patriarch of a political dynasty that has dominated Thai politics since 2001. Both Thaksin and his sister Yingluck, who also served as prime minister, were previously removed from office by military coups in 2006 and 2014, respectively. The Shinawatra family’s populist policies have long clashed with Thailand’s conservative-royalist elite, setting the stage for repeated confrontations between pro-democracy forces and entrenched power brokers.
The latest shake-up began when Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party broke from the Pheu Thai-led coalition, reportedly over disagreements and fallout from Paetongtarn’s controversial actions during the Cambodia border dispute. In the political vacuum that followed, the People’s Party—now the largest in parliament but barred from forming a government due to bans on its leaders—emerged as kingmaker. Despite their ideological differences, the People’s Party threw its weight behind Anutin, but not without extracting significant concessions.
The support of the People’s Party was conditional: Anutin had to agree to dissolve parliament and call a new general election within four months from September 5, 2025. He also committed to initiating constitutional reforms, including organizing a referendum if required by the Constitutional Court, or working directly with the People’s Party to expedite the drafting of a new constitution. The People’s Party, for its part, pledged not to join the new coalition government or take any cabinet seats, instead reserving the right to put forward its own candidates in the upcoming snap election—something current constitutional rules prevent them from doing, as explained by The Conversation and Al Jazeera.
While Anutin’s ascent to the premiership was a blow to the Shinawatra dynasty, it was not the only drama unfolding. On the eve of the parliamentary vote, Thaksin Shinawatra himself abruptly left Thailand, boarding his private jet for Dubai. Officially, Thaksin cited medical treatment as his reason for leaving, but his departure came just days before a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for Tuesday, September 9, 2025—a case that could see him sent back to jail. Thaksin, who spent 15 years in self-imposed exile to avoid legal charges, had only recently returned to Thailand after being acquitted in late August of violating the country’s strict lèse-majesté law, which prohibits insults to the monarchy and carries harsh penalties. He announced on social media that he intends to return for his court date, but many in Thailand remain skeptical, as reported by BBC and The Conversation.
The new government, led by Anutin, faces daunting challenges. With only 69 seats out of 500 in parliament, Bhumjaithai is governing as a minority, propped up by the People’s Party’s conditional support. The ideological gulf between the two parties is vast: Bhumjaithai is staunchly royalist and conservative, while the People’s Party is progressive and has previously called for reforms to the monarchy’s role in Thai society. Many of the People’s Party’s MPs have been convicted under the lèse-majesté law, and some within the party were deeply reluctant to ally with Anutin. Yet, the alternative—another military-backed government or the return of coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha—was even less palatable to them, according to the BBC.
Thailand’s history of political instability looms large over the current arrangement. The country has experienced at least 12 military coups over the past century, and the Constitutional Court has repeatedly intervened to remove elected leaders and dissolve political parties, often those with pro-democracy leanings. The Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in the 2023 general election, was itself prevented from taking power and later dissolved by the court. Its successor, the People’s Party, remains sidelined from executive power, despite its parliamentary strength.
For now, the military claims to be staying out of the fray. When asked about the possibility of another coup, the Second Army commander stated, “the military has no plans for a coup.” However, given the country’s track record, such assurances offer little comfort to many Thais who have seen governments toppled time and again, as noted by The Conversation.
The coming months will be critical. If Anutin honors his commitments, Thailand could see a move toward constitutional reform and a genuinely competitive election—one in which the People’s Party and its reformist agenda might finally have a fair shot at power. Yet, given the history of conservative forces undermining progressive movements, there is widespread skepticism about whether true democratic change is on the horizon, or whether the cycle of court interventions and elite maneuvering will simply repeat itself.
As Anutin prepares to take office, pending formal appointment by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, many eyes are on Bangkok to see whether this latest political experiment can bring stability or whether Thailand is simply bracing for its next upheaval. The stakes could hardly be higher for the country’s future.