BANGKOK: Thailand’s Bhumjaithai Party, which won Sunday’s general election by a wide margin, will be joined by the third-place Pheu Thai party to form a coalition government, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday.
Anutin-led Bhumjaithai romped to a surprise victory on Sunday securing 193 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, followed ‌by the reformist ‌People’s Party with 118 seats ‌and ⁠the populist Pheu ⁠Thai at 74, according to Reuters’ calculations based on election commission data.
The support of Pheu Thai — backed by the currently imprisoned billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra – will give Anutin a clear parliamentary ⁠majority, potentially paving the way for ‌a stable ‌coalition.
“We will work together as a government ‌and manage the country so we can ‌do good things for the country,” Anutin told reporters, after holding talks with Pheu Thai leaders.
Bhumjaithai was a member of ‌a Pheu Thai-led ruling coalition that took power following the last ⁠election ⁠in 2023, but walked out of the alliance in June last year, following a leaked phone call between then premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.
Paetongtarn was later dismissed by a court order, opening the door for Anutin to become prime minister.
“Please erase any misunderstandings from the past,” Anutin said. “We would like to work together, govern the country together.”