Pheu Thai vs. Bhumjaithai: Why political titans are at war over Interior Ministry

Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai, the ruling coalition’s two largest parties, are battling for the coveted interior minister’s post – considered the most powerful Cabinet position after the prime minister.

The Interior Ministry serves as the cornerstone of Thailand’s administration, overseeing provincial governors, district chiefs and local administrative organisations nationwide.

It has long been perceived to wield significant influence over voters and electoral dynamics, even though the authority to hold elections has passed to the Election Commission (EC).

However, the EC still requires assistance from the Interior Ministry, which controls a country-wide network of local administrative officials.

Partner in need

Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul has held the Interior Ministry post since September 2023, following the formation of the Pheu Thai-led coalition under then-PM Srettha Thavisin.

This powerful position is traditionally reserved for the largest coalition partner but was this time conceded to Bhumjaithai in exchange for its support in forming the Pheu Thai-led government.

This arrangement echoes 2008, when the newly formed Bhumjaithai propped up a Democrat-led coalition after breaking away from the People Power Party, Pheu Thai’s predecessor.

At the time, Anutin’s father, Chavarat Charnvirakul, secured the interior minister’s post – demonstrating how the ministry often serves as a bargaining chip in coalition dealmaking.

Speculation about control over the ministry intensified on May 30 when Pheu Thai’s patriarch, Thaksin Shinawatra, hinted that a Cabinet reshuffle was in the pipeline.

A reshuffle would enable Pheu Thai to secure the key portfolios of Interior, Transport, Finance and Agriculture needed to implement populist policies to improve its chances of victory at the next general election, due in 2027.

Though both Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai are playing down the battle for the Interior Ministry, analysts predict rising tensions could lead to the coalition’s collapse, triggering an early election.

Why so coveted?

The Interior Ministry was founded more than a century ago, in 1892, under the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). Though the ministry has lost jurisdiction over several national agencies, including the police force, over the decades, it still holds authority over local administrative organisations nationwide.

The main reason it is so coveted is because the interior minister wields extensive power and influence over provincial governors, district chiefs and local administrators nationwide.

In other words, the ministry’s jurisdiction covers most of Thailand’s population.

It oversees the governors of all 76 provinces and Bangkok, as well as district chiefs, kamnan (sub-district chiefs), village heads, plus the mayor of Pattaya City. It also appoints all provincial governors outside Bangkok, where the governor is elected.

Its role overseeing local administrative bodies gives the interior minister the power to build support bases among voters, which can be used to back a particular party or block another.

The ministry also plays a key role in approving budgets for local development projects such as road construction, tap water and electricity, to name a few. These budgets can be used as a tool to gain support from voters.

Since its authority covers the entire country, the ministry can serve as a channel for exerting influence over citizens and local community leaders to help sustain political power.

The ministry is also responsible for maintaining internal security through its nationwide networks. It has control over population databases, household registration and national ID-card systems.

Nationwide network

The Interior Ministry’s six main departments – Provincial Administration; Lands; Community Development; Local Administration; Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; and Public Works and Town & Country Planning – oversee internal security nationwide.

The ministry also controls six state enterprises: the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, Provincial Electricity Authority, Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, Provincial Waterworks Authority, Marketing Organisation, and Wastewater Management Authority.

In addition, it oversees local bureaucracies in 76 provinces, 878 districts, 7,255 sub-districts and 75,142 villages. It also oversees administrative organisations at 76 provinces, 2,474 municipalities, 5,300 sub-districts, as well as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the administration of Pattaya City.

As of 2024, the ministry employed 111,286 officials across department and state levels. It covers 691,413 political and permanent officials in local administrations, including the BMA and Pattaya City, and 275,846 officials and volunteers in villages and rural areas.

The Interior Ministry also ranks among the top three ministries in terms of budget allocation, granted between 294.8 billion and 373.5 billion baht annually over the past decade.

It will receive a budget of 301.2 billion baht for fiscal 2026, starting October – the third highest figure among all ministries.