In a legislative vote, veteran politician Anutin Charnvirakul was chosen as Thailand’s prime minister.

— According to an official count, veteran Thai politician Anutin Charnvirakul won a parliamentary vote and was named prime minister on Friday.

Out of the 492 active members of the House of Representatives, the head of the Bhumjaithai party received 311 votes, significantly more than the 247 majority needed. After receiving an official appointment from King Maha Vajiralongkorn, he and his administration are anticipated to assume office in a few days.

Anutin, 58, takes over as prime minister from Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was removed by court order last week after being found guilty of ethics violations related to a politically problematic phone conversation with Senate President Hun Sen of neighbouring Cambodia.

A deadly five-day military war broke out in July over a border dispute between the two countries.

When he was just a few votes shy of the winning number, Anutin, an elected member of the House, stood up and strolled around the room to snap selfies with other MPs.

As he left Parliament to go see his father in the hospital, Anutin assured reporters that he would put in a lot of effort to address the nation’s issues. He declared, “I plan to work to the best of my abilities.” “I have to work every day, without a day off, and make the most of it.”

Anutin has previously served in the military-backed elected administration of former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and in the coalition government led by Pheu Thai that came to power in 2023.

Anutin’s most well-known accomplishment was effectively advocating for the decriminalisation of cannabis, which is currently subject to stricter regulations for medical use. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he served as health minister as well. He was accused of being late in acquiring enough vaccine supplies to combat the virus.

In return for the progressive People’s Party’s backing, his party has pledged to dissolve Parliament within four months. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, the leader of the party, declared that it will stay in the opposition, possibly resulting in a minority administration in the future.

According to the People’s Party, a government led by Anutin would need to pledge to hold a referendum on the proposed constitution by an elected constituent assembly. The party has long pushed for more democratic amendments to the constitution, which was imposed during a military regime.

According to Kevin Hewison, a distinguished Thai studies scholar residing in Australia, Anutin’s triumph was a victory for Thailand’s conventional establishment. He remarked that even with such pledges made as a quid-pro-quo, the People’s Party should be concerned because they are the opposite of the conservative royalist Bhumjaithai.

“Anutin and his people cannot be trusted.” The four months leading up to an election are probably slick because trust has abandoned Thai politics,” he added.

Despite winning the most seats in the 2023 election, the People’s Party—then known as the Move Forward Party—was prevented from taking power when senators appointed by the military, who were ardent supporters of Thailand’s royalist conservative establishment, voted against its candidate because they disagreed with its plan to reform the monarchy.

The Senate has lost its ability to vote in the prime ministerial election.

Later, Srettha Thavisin, a real estate entrepreneur and one of Pheu Thai’s candidates, was accepted as prime minister to head a coalition administration. However, he was only in office for a year before being removed for unethical behaviour by the Constitutional Court.

Paetongtarn, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, succeeded Srettha but was only in government for a year. The Bhumjaithai Party’s June abandonment of her coalition further damaged her government.

According to Hewison, the Pheu Thai party, which was associated with Thaksin and left office two years after Paetongtarn was overthrown, is not likely to perform well in any upcoming elections.

On Thursday, Thaksin departed Thailand for Dubai, where he has resided since 2008, when he began his self-imposed exile. Days before a court decision in 2023 over how to handle his return that would result in a new prison term, he travelled. Though Thaksin claimed he was abroad for a medical examination and would be returning to Thailand in a few days, the move raised rumours that he was escaping once more.