Thailand is once again at a political crossroads, as King Maha Vajiralongkorn has formally endorsed a new Cabinet led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The move, announced on September 19, 2025, comes after weeks of turmoil following the removal of Anutin’s predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was ousted by a court ruling over ethics violations. The fallout from her dismissal—sparked by a controversial phone call with Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen and a deadly border clash that claimed dozens of lives—has left the country anxious for stability and effective leadership.
According to a notice published in the Royal Gazette and reported by Reuters, the royal endorsement is the last major hurdle before the new Cabinet can officially take office. The Cabinet is expected to be sworn in next week, after which Anutin will deliver a policy statement to parliament, outlining his administration’s priorities and approach for the coming months.
Anutin, the head of the Bhumjaithai Party, was elected by parliament in August 2025 following Paetongtarn’s removal. His elevation to the top job is notable not just for the circumstances, but also for the composition of his government. Rather than relying exclusively on veteran politicians, Anutin has tapped a mix of senior bureaucrats, business leaders, and diplomats for some of the most prominent ministerial posts. This technocratic approach, analysts suggest, is a strategic bid to deliver concrete results quickly and to calm both economic anxieties and simmering tensions with neighboring Cambodia.
The 36-member Cabinet—whose list appeared in the Royal Gazette on September 19—reflects a minority coalition government. Most ministerial positions have gone to members of the Bhumjaithai Party, Klatham, and the military-backed Phalang Pracharath, which together form the backbone of Anutin’s coalition. The Pheu Thai Party, which previously led the government, now sits in opposition and holds no positions in the new Cabinet.
Anutin himself will serve a dual role, taking on both the prime ministership and the powerful interior minister portfolio. This isn’t a new seat for him; he also held the interior minister position under Paetongtarn’s government. Six Cabinet members have been appointed as deputy prime ministers, including Thammanat Prompao of the Klatham Party. Thammanat’s presence is controversial, as he was convicted and jailed in Australia in 1994 for heroin smuggling, yet he will also serve as agriculture minister in the new government.
Perhaps the most striking feature of Anutin’s Cabinet is the inclusion of several non-politicians in key roles. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, a former Director-General of the Revenue Department with an economics degree from the U.S., will serve as both deputy prime minister and finance minister. Suphajee Suthumpun, known for her tenure as CEO of Dusit Thani, a major Thai hotel group, has been appointed commerce minister. Meanwhile, foreign affairs will be handled by veteran diplomat Sihasak Phuangketkeow. Sihasak’s credentials include stints as Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, vice minister, spokesperson, and Thailand’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva. Notably, he was also President of the UN Human Rights Council in 2010.
As reported by NHK and Nikkei Asia, Anutin’s decision to bypass career politicians for these key posts is widely seen as a move to inject fresh expertise and credibility into the government. "Analysts say his decision to use technocrats and experts in important positions is aimed at getting concrete results as fast as possible," NHK noted. The hope is that these appointments will help address the country’s pressing economic challenges and facilitate a peaceful resolution to the ongoing border dispute with Cambodia.
Thailand’s recent border clash with Cambodia, which occurred in July 2025 and resulted in dozens of deaths, has cast a long shadow over the new government. The incident was precipitated by the aforementioned phone call between former Prime Minister Paetongtarn and Cambodia’s Hun Sen, a conversation that was deemed politically compromising and ultimately led to her removal. The border violence heightened public outrage and underscored the urgent need for experienced diplomatic hands—hence the significance of Sihasak’s appointment as foreign minister.
Getting to this point has required deft political maneuvering. Anutin secured the premiership by appealing to the People’s Party, the main opposition group with a progressive platform. In a bid to win their support or at least temper their opposition, Anutin pledged to dissolve parliament within four months and to organize a referendum for drafting a new constitution via an elected constituent assembly. The People’s Party has long called for constitutional reforms, arguing that the current charter—imposed during military rule—needs to be made more democratic. As reported by the Associated Press, Anutin’s promise is a significant olive branch to the opposition and a calculated attempt to stabilize his minority government.
The Cabinet’s next official step is to take an oath in front of the king, a ceremony expected to take place on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. Only after this can the ministers formally assume their duties. The policy statement that follows will be closely watched, as it will set the tone for the administration’s legislative agenda and response to Thailand’s immediate challenges.
The new government faces an uphill battle. As a minority coalition, it will have to navigate a fragmented parliament and build consensus across a political landscape still reeling from recent upheavals. The absence of the Pheu Thai Party from the Cabinet underscores the depth of political divisions, while the inclusion of controversial figures like Thammanat Prompao is likely to provoke criticism from both domestic and international observers.
Public sentiment, as reflected in recent polls reported by Nikkei Asia, shows moderate support for Anutin’s minority government. Many Thais are cautiously optimistic that the infusion of technocratic expertise will help steer the country through its current crises. Others remain skeptical, pointing to the fragility of the coalition and the unresolved tensions along the Cambodian border.
Yet, for all the uncertainty, Anutin’s government is moving quickly to establish its authority and demonstrate a commitment to reform. The promise to dissolve parliament and initiate constitutional change within four months is an ambitious one, and the coming weeks will be a test of both the new prime minister’s resolve and his government’s ability to deliver on its pledges.
With the king’s endorsement now secured and the Cabinet poised to take office, Thailand stands at an inflection point—balancing the hope of technocratic renewal with the realities of coalition politics and the lingering aftershocks of recent conflict.
