Powerful Thai businessman emerges as chosen one as legislative body selects new prime minister

Thailand's parliament is set to vote for a new prime minister on Friday, with Anutin Charnvirakul, a right-wing tycoon, as the leading candidate.

Anutin Charnvirakul, who has previously served as deputy prime minister, interior minister, and health minister, has gained the support of the largest opposition People's Party. However, this support comes with a condition: parliament must be dissolved within four months for fresh elections.

The Shinawatra's Pheu Thai party, which is still governing in a caretaker capacity, made a last-ditch effort to dissolve parliament before the vote. However, royal officials rejected this bid, citing "disputed legal issues" around Pheu Thai's ability to make such a move as an interim administration.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the candidate presented by the Shinawatra-aligned party for the prime minister position, was ousted by the Constitutional Court on Aug 29. The court found that her conduct breached ministerial ethics.

Thaksin Shinawatra, the dynasty patriarch, has fled the country ahead of the parliamentary vote, bound for Dubai. The Supreme Court is due to rule on Tuesday about Thaksin's eligibility for a prison early release scheme, and he has stated he will attend the court date "in person."

Anutin Charnvirakul is most famous for legalizing cannabis in 2022. However, he has faced criticism for his handling of the Covid-19 response. He accused Westerners of spreading the virus and was forced to apologize after a backlash.

The Shinawatra clan, a mainstay of Thai politics for the past two decades, has been ousted from office. Pheu Thai has pledged to put forward its own candidate for prime minister, Chaikasem Nitisiri.

Voting is expected to take place around 10am in the parliament building. It remains to be seen whether Anutin Charnvirakul will secure enough backing from opposition blocs to have a comfortable majority in the lower house.

The Pheu Thai party secretary general, Sorawong Thienthong, has stated that it does not matter if they win or lose the vote. "Our goal has always been to push for reform and to ensure democracy in Thailand," he said.

As the voting process unfolds, the future of Thai politics remains uncertain. One thing is clear, however: the Shinawatra clan's influence over the country's political landscape has significantly diminished.

Powerful Thai businessman emerges as chosen one as legislative body selects new prime minister