Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's party came in well ahead in Sunday's parliamentary elections, with a comfortable lead that could make it easier to form a coalition and reduce the risk of further political instability in Thailand.

Published on: 02/08/2026 - 6:39 p.m. Modified on: 02/08/2026 - 6:40 p.m.

To display this YouTube content, it is necessary to authorize audience measurement and advertising cookies.

An extension in your browser appears to be blocking the loading of the video player. To be able to watch this content, you must disable or uninstall it.

The conservative Prime Minister of Thailand is on track to win the legislative election on Sunday February 8, according to provisional results from local television. A victory would make his party the largest parliamentary group in the country.

"We are on track to win first place in the elections," Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at his party's Bhumjaithai headquarters in Bangkok.

The leader of the People's Party (Reformist), Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, for his part admitted his defeat.

“We recognize that we did not come in first,” he told journalists present at his party headquarters in Bangkok, assuring that he “respects” the winner.

See also Closure of polling stations in Thailand: “strong participation” for these early legislative elections

Anutin Charnvirakul's Bhumjaithai party is credited with some 200 seats in the Lower House, according to Channel 3 forecasts, well ahead of the People's Party which has a little more than 100 seats, while the Pheu Thai party, long dominant on the Thai political scene, comes in third position.

“We need a strong leader”

This is a dramatic turnaround for Anutin, whose party came third in the last elections and who was only appointed prime minister by Parliament in September 2025.

“Today’s victory belongs to all Thais, whether they voted for us or not,” added the Prime Minister.

Many voters told AFP that they had the conflict with Cambodia in mind when they placed their ballot in the ballot box. "We need a strong leader who can protect our sovereignty," said Yuernyong Loonboot, 64, the first voter to cast his ballot at a polling station in Anutin's hometown of Buriram (east).

See also Anticipated legislative elections in Thailand: the control of the army

The Thai army took control of some disputed areas during the latest fighting in December, and a ceasefire is now in effect after fighting left dozens dead on both sides.

Shortly after taking office, Anutin authorized the armed forces to take whatever measures they deemed appropriate at the border, without first consulting the government. On the campaign trail, he promised to build a border wall and recruit 100,000 volunteer troops.

Bhumjaithai strengthened to negotiate coalition

After voting in this same office, Anutin, a wealthy construction heir and airplane pilot in his spare time, known for having led Thailand to the legalization of cannabis, told the press he hoped for "the confidence" of voters.

Although Bhumjaithai does not appear likely to obtain an absolute majority of the 500 seats in the Lower House, the number of seats it could win would give it the advantage in coalition negotiations.

Thailand uses a mixed representation system with 400 MPs elected by individual constituencies and 100 seats which are allocated through a separate ballot for party lists.

The next government of this Southeast Asian kingdom will have to manage a sluggish economy, competing with rapidly expanding Vietnam, and whose vital tourism sector has not returned to its pre-pandemic level.

The reformist Move Forward party (now the People's Party) won the largest number of seats in the previous election, but was prevented from coming to power by an alliance between Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai, before the party was dissolved.

Decline of Pheu Thai

The populist party of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Pheu Thai, continues its decline by arriving in third place, according to projections.

He is, however, considered Anutin's most likely coalition partner. They were allies until Bhumjaithai withdrew from an agreement on handling the border dispute reached by then-Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin is currently behind bars for corruption during his term, which damaged the party's image.

With AFP and Reuters

Keywords associated with the article

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.