Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul officially dissolved parliament on Friday, February 2nd, 2024, paving the way for a general election within 45 to 60 days. The move was enacted via a royal decree, which cited the need to "return political power to the people" and address the instability of a minority government.
Context and Challenges
Prime Minister Anutin, who assumed office in September 2023, had previously indicated a parliamentary dissolution by the end of January. However, the timing was brought forward amid escalating political pressures. The decree specifically mentioned a deadly border dispute with Cambodia as one of several challenges his administration has faced since taking office three months prior.
The government, led by Anutin's Bhumjaithai party, also faced an imminent vote of no confidence. This follows public criticism regarding its response to severe flooding in southern Thailand last month, which resulted in at least 176 fatalities. The dissolution also coincides with renewed fighting along the Cambodian border, which has reportedly caused 20 deaths and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Political Dynamics and Loss of Support
In the royal decree, Prime Minister Anutin stated, "The government had executed every means in public administration to quickly resolve the urgent issues overwhelming the country… but running the country requires stability." He further elaborated that "As a minority government, together with troubling domestic political circumstances, it has been unable to carry out public administration continuously, effectively and with stability."
A significant factor contributing to the dissolution was the withdrawal of support from the youthful and progressive People's Party, which is the largest party in parliament and had previously backed Anutin's premiership. The People's Party, ideologically distinct from the conservative Bhumjaithai, had conditioned its support on reforms to Thailand's military-drafted constitution and a parliamentary dissolution within four months.
The People's Party has since accused Bhumjaithai of failing to uphold this agreement. They had reportedly planned to submit a no-confidence motion against the government and publicly called for the Prime Minister to dissolve parliament to "show responsibility towards the people." The party's statement on social media, "See you at the polling stations," confirmed their readiness for the upcoming election.
Recent Political History
Thailand has experienced a period of political turbulence over the past year, with two previous prime ministers dismissed by the courts. Anutin's predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was removed for an ethics violation related to a leaked phone call. Before her, Srettha Thavisin was also dismissed for ethics violations concerning a cabinet appointment involving a lawyer who had been previously jailed.