BANGKOK, THAILAND – The opposition Pheu Thai party announced clear support for Bhumjaithai to lead the formation of Thailand’s next coalition government after the 8 February parliamentary election.
Unexpected alignment after election results
The move signaled a notable alliance between the traditionally populist Pheu Thai and the more conservative Bhumjaithai in Thailand’s shifting political landscape. According to preliminary results, Bhumjaithai won around 193 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, making it the strongest party, while Pheu Thai secured about 74 seats and placed third. The reform-oriented People’s Party reportedly finished second but stated it would go into opposition and not join government talks.
Key meeting at Bhumjaithai headquarters
The decision took shape during a meeting at Bhumjaithai’s headquarters in Bangkok, where party leader and Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul received senior Pheu Thai figures. Participants included Pheu Thai’s lead candidate Yossanan Wongsa-sawat, campaign director Suriya Jungrungreangkit, prominent politician Phumtham Wechayachai and secretary-general Prasert Jantararuangtong. Both sides said their talks centered on forming a stable government to safeguard what they saw as the country’s national interests after the election.
Focus on stability and avoiding deadlock
Against the backdrop of Bhumjaithai’s strong showing in the lower house, negotiators aimed to prevent a prolonged political stalemate. After the meeting, Anutin and Prasert appeared together before the media.
“Pheu Thai is ready to support Bhumjaithai as the core party in forming the government and explicitly congratulates it on its election victory.”
said Prasert Jantararuangtong, Pheu Thai secretary-general.
Warnings about a political vacuum
Prasert underlined that avoiding a power vacuum was a priority for his party.
“It is important to prevent a political vacuum, and with this step Pheu Thai is seeking stability in parliament and a rapid start to government work.”
said Prasert Jantararuangtong, Pheu Thai secretary-general. Both parties framed the cooperation as a pragmatic response to the election outcome rather than an ideological convergence.
Anutin hails agreement and signals further talks
Anutin described the meeting as an honor and said the emerging results provided the basis for their understanding.
“On the basis of the election outcome that is taking shape, an agreement has been reached under which Pheu Thai will support Bhumjaithai as the leading coalition party.”
said Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhumjaithai leader and prime minister. He added that previous misunderstandings and conflicts, which he called typical in politics, should now be set aside in order to work together for the benefit of the country.
Potential partners and coalition building
Anutin announced further talks and said other parties would be invited to join the emerging alliance. He specifically mentioned possible partners such as Kla Tham and the Democrat Party. Observers saw these steps as pointing toward a broad-based coalition with a clear parliamentary majority, should negotiations proceed as indicated.
Alliance reshapes political camps
The rapprochement between Pheu Thai, long associated with the Shinawatra family, and the more establishment-aligned Bhumjaithai suggested a pragmatic reordering of political camps. Analysts interpreted this as a sign that, given Bhumjaithai’s unexpectedly strong position, governing capacity and stability were now being prioritized over ideological divides. They also noted that Anutin Charnvirakul appeared to have strong prospects for another term as prime minister once the Election Commission confirmed the final results.