Thai poll winner Anutin joins hands with jailed Thaksin’s party to form new coalition govt

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Anutin Charnvirakul’s pro-military and pro-monarchy party had its best electoral performance in polls that took place after two rounds of deadly border clashes with Cambodia last year.— AFP pic

BANGKOK, Feb 13 — Thai caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s conservative party, which won a stunning election victory at the weekend, agreed to form a coalition with jailed ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s party, both announced today. 

Anutin’s pro-military and pro-monarchy party had its best electoral performance in polls that took place after two rounds of deadly border clashes with Cambodia last year.

It campaigned on a nationalist platform, promising to build a wall on the frontier with Cambodia, keep all border crossings closed and recruit 100,000 volunteer soldiers.

Thaksin’s Pheu Thai is Thailand’s most successful party of the 21st century but had its worst election result on Sunday, raising questions about the future of the political machine built by the jailed billionaire.

“Although the election results have not yet been officially confirmed, we have a consensus that Pheu Thai will support us in leading the coalition, as planned,” Anutin told a news conference at his Bhumjaithai party’s headquarters.

Prasert Chanruangthong, secretary-general of Pheu Thai, told reporters the party “is ready to support Bhumjaithai Party in forming the coalition. Other issues will be discussed further”.

The latest incarnation of the organisation founded by the telecom billionaire, Pheu Thai came a distant third in Sunday’s election, its vote share in the party-list section plunging by more than half.

Voters also appeared to turn their backs on the reformist People’s Party, which came second.

Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai were previously coalition partners, until Anutin pulled out over a Cambodia border dispute scandal last June.

“Our priority is for the country to move forward for the greatest benefit of the people,” Prasert said ahead of coalition talks today.

Enduring dynasty 

Thaksin is serving a one-year prison sentence for corruption in office, but many observers expect him to be released earlier than scheduled alongside a political agreement.

The Shinawatras have produced no fewer than four Thai prime ministers this century. Pheu Thai had put forward Thaksin’s nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat, a biomedical engineering professor, as their latest nominee for the position.

Thaksin’s political clan has for two decades been the key foe of Thailand’s pro-military, pro-royalty elite who view their populist brand as a threat to traditional social order.

Some analysts had said Pheu Thai’s losses on Sunday marked the end of the Shinawatra dynasty.

But its inclusion in the coalition leaves open the possibility of a political comeback.

The Southeast Asian nation’s next administration will need to tackle anaemic economic growth, with its vital tourism industry yet to rebound to pre-Covid highs, and manage fallout over multi-billion-dollar cyberscam networks operating from the region.

Perhaps most pressing is the Cambodia dispute, which erupted into open fighting in July and December, killing scores of people on both sides and displacing around a million altogether.

The conflict was a major factor for many voters, with analysts saying a wave of nationalism propelled Anutin to victory. — AFP