Thailand’s new prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul rises through political opportunism
By M A Hossain
Thailand has a new prime minister, and his rise to the top is as much about political maneuvering as it is about personal ambition. On September 5, parliament confirmed Anutin Charnvirakul, a cautious but pragmatic figure who has long mastered the art of navigating Thailand’s turbulent and deeply polarized political landscape.
At 58, he brings to the role not just experience in government but also the backing of immense family wealth, a strong regional base, and a reputation for opportunistic flexibility that has allowed him to survive – and even thrive – in one of Southeast Asia’s most unstable political arenas.
For more than two decades, Thai politics has been defined by a bitter divide: on one side, supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose populist policies earned him enduring loyalty among rural Thais; on the other, the royalist-military establishment determined to curb his influence. Anutin is one of the few politicians who has been able to straddle both camps.
His career began in the 1990s, and by the early 2000s, he was serving in Thaksin’s government. But when the military staged a coup in 2006, he managed to avoid political extinction. Over the following years, he reinvented himself, eventually taking leadership of the Bhumjaithai Party, an influential regional machine centered in the Isan region.
By 2019, Bhumjaithai had become the ultimate “swing vote” party, enabling Anutin to join the government of Prayuth Chan-ocha, Thaksin’s longtime adversary, while serving as health minister. Then, in 2023, he once again switched sides, taking posts as deputy prime minister and interior minister in a coalition led by the Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai Party.
This shifting allegiance has earned Bhumjaithai the reputation of being “the quintessential power broker.” Scholars have noted that its lack of ideological commitments – save for a more pronounced pro-monarchy stance in recent years – makes it exceptionally adaptable, capable of extracting influence and concessions regardless of which side of the divide holds power.
Anutin’s latest ascent came courtesy of an extraordinary political blunder by his predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of Thaksin. During a phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, Paetongtarn spoke casually about sensitive border tensions and made an unflattering remark about a Thai general. When Hun Sen leaked the conversation, public outrage erupted.
The fallout was immediate. Anutin seized the opportunity, pulling his party out of Paetongtarn’s fragile coalition and resigning from his cabinet posts. Soon afterward, Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended and then dismissed Paetongtarn for breaching ethical standards, leaving a vacuum that Anutin stepped in to fill. It was a classic example of his opportunism: patient, pragmatic, and timed to perfection.
Born in Bangkok in 1966, Anutin is the son of Chavarat Charnvirakul, a construction magnate and politician. After studying engineering at Hofstra University in New York, he returned to Thailand and joined the family’s company, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction PCL, which has played a major role in national infrastructure projects, including Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. By 1995, Anutin was managing director, gaining valuable business experience that would later bolster his political clout.
His political career began modestly as an adviser in the foreign ministry. By the early 2000s, he had aligned himself with Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai party, eventually serving in deputy ministerial positions. But the 2006 coup forced him into temporary retreat. A court ban on political activity kept him sidelined for five years, during which he returned to business and indulged his personal passions: aviation and gastronomy.
Flying remains a favorite pastime; he is known to pilot his own private plane. Food, however, is where he is most expressive. “Dining is always a great pleasure of my life,” he once said, describing himself as equally enthusiastic about street food and fine international cuisine.
Anutin’s most notable political achievement came in 2022, when he spearheaded Thailand’s decriminalization of cannabis. He promoted the reform as a boon for public health, medical research, and the economy, forecasting billions in potential revenue. His ministry even announced plans to distribute one million free cannabis plants to households, symbolizing his bold approach to policy innovation.
The rollout, however, quickly became controversial. In the absence of comprehensive regulation, cannabis shops proliferated, sparking concerns about access for minors and public use in cities. Critics accused Anutin of pushing through reforms without adequate safeguards, leaving the country scrambling to impose tighter controls afterward. He insisted that more detailed legislation had been blocked by coalition partners, but the controversy left a mixed legacy: both groundbreaking and messy.
His tenure as public health minister also coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. While Thailand’s overall performance was comparable to many other nations, Anutin faced heavy criticism for what was seen as sluggish vaccine procurement. His defensive and sometimes dismissive remarks during the crisis further tarnished his image.
More recently, questions have surfaced over potential improprieties linked to his party and allies. Allegations of collusion in last year’s Senate election raised suspicions that Bhumjaithai was manipulating the process to secure advantages for its candidates.
Additionally, a land dispute involving property tied to Newin Chidchob, the party’s influential founder and Anutin’s mentor, has attracted scrutiny. These issues have not derailed his career so far, but they underscore the murky environment in which Thai politics operates – and Anutin’s ability to endure in it.
As he takes office, Anutin inherits a Thailand still grappling with economic headwinds, public discontent over corruption and governance, and unresolved political polarization. His reputation as a dealmaker and survivor suggests he will prioritize stability and coalition management over bold ideological reform.
Yet, his opportunism and willingness to shift loyalties raise questions about whether he can provide lasting direction or whether his premiership will be another chapter in Thailand’s cycle of short-lived governments.
For now, Anutin Charnvirakul embodies the essence of Thai politics: pragmatic, personality-driven, and perpetually fluid. His rise underscores not just his personal skill but also the enduring role of political deal-making in a country where ideology often takes a back seat to survival.
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