Anutin Charnvirakul takes office as Thailand PM after royal endorsement

Business tycoon and veteran politician Anutin Charnvirakul has taken office as prime minister of Thailand, after an endorsement from the king paved the way for his tenure as the nation’s newest leader following months of political turmoil.

“His majesty the king has endorsed Mr Anutin Charnvirakul to be prime minister from now onwards”, Arpath Sukhanunth, secretary-general of Thailand’s lower house of parliament, declared on Sunday, reading aloud a royal command in a ceremony at Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok.

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Images posted on social media by Thai news agencies showed Anutin bowing before an image of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, before greeting his family, including his father, a former interior minister.

In remarks after accepting his election, Anutin was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying it was a “limitless blessing and honour” for him and his family.

Anutin also promised to perform his prime minister position “at his best with honesty and righteousness for the benefit of Thai people and the stability of Thailand”, Bangkok Post reported.

Anutin, 58, becomes the kingdom’s third leader in two years, but has taken power with backing from the more dominant and progressive People’s Party on condition that he dissolves parliament within four months to hold elections.

A survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration and published on Sunday showed that 59.24 percent of voters want the parliament dissolved as soon as possible, while 27 percent said it should be dissolved in four months.

The same survey also showed that almost 60 percent of the respondents said they support amendments in the country’s constitution.

On Friday, Anutin ousted the populist Shinawatra clan’s Pheu Thai party, which has monopolised the top office since the 2023 elections but saw its dynasty heiress, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, sacked as prime minister by court order last month.

He quickly announced on Saturday the appointment of a veteran economist, an energy executive and a longtime diplomat in key positions in finance, energy and foreign affairs, saying he wants to bring confidence back to the government.

Anutin previously served as deputy prime minister, interior minister and health minister, but is perhaps most famous for delivering on a promise to decriminalise cannabis in 2022.