Anutin returns to power as Thailand’s prime minister

Anutin Charnvirakul was elected Thailand’s prime minister on Thursday in a parliamentary vote following the February 6 general election.

Anutin, 59, secured 293 votes, defeating t People’s Party’s prime ministerial candidate Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, who received 119 votes. A total of 86 lawmakers abstained.

The Bhumjaithai Party leader will officially take office after receiving royal endorsement. He is also constitutionally required to present his government’s policies to parliament before his administration begins work.

He returns to power after his party won the February 8 election by an unexpectedly large margin, securing 192 seats compared with 120 for the People’s Party, which had led pre-election opinion polls.

Anutin’s decisive victory clears the way for Bhumjaithai to assemble a new coalition government.

Bhumjaithai has partnered with former rival Pheu Thai Party, which contributed 74 MPs, along with 13 smaller parties holding between one and five seats each.

Notably absent is Klatham Party, its main ally in the previous government, which was excluded from the new coalition despite securing 58 seats.