Thailand Parliament Set to Elect New PM as Thaksin Flees to Dubai

Thailand’s parliament was poised to elect a new prime minister on Friday after days of political turmoil, overshadowed by the sudden departure of polarising former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin, long the dominant force in Thai politics, left for Dubai late Thursday, just days before a court ruling that could send him back to jail. His exit came less than a week after a court ousted his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as prime minister, plunging his Pheu Thai party into disarray.

The upheaval has put Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul in prime position. His coalition controls 146 lawmakers, and with the People’s Party pledging its 143 votes despite remaining in opposition, Anutin looks set to surpass the 247-seat threshold required for victory.

Pheu Thai has scrambled to block him, nominating 77-year-old ex-attorney general Chaikasem Nitisiri and promising fresh elections if he wins. But with Thaksin gone and the party weakened, Chaikasem’s chances appear slim.

Thaksin, 76, said on X he was in Dubai for medical treatment and vowed to return by Monday. Once hailed by supporters as a political comeback hero in 2023, he served only six months of an eight-year sentence before being released on parole. The Supreme Court will rule Tuesday on whether his hospital stay counts as time served, a decision that could land him back in jail.

“Anutin has outmaneuvered Pheu Thai by making a pact with the opposition,” said Wanwichit Boonprong, a political analyst. “I’m confident he will be the next prime minister. For Pheu Thai, this is the final curtain.”