Anutin Charnvirakul is all set to become Thailand's next Prime Minister after winning a parliamentary vote on Friday, according to news agency AFP.
58-year-old Charnvirakul has reportedly secured over 247 votes in the ongoing ballot, crossing the majority mark required in the 492-member lower house of the National Assembly.
Charnvirakul was elected following last week’s dismissal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, after the Constitutional Court ruled that she had violated ethical guidelines.
Who Is Anutin Charnvirakul?
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Anutin Charnvirakul previously served as Deputy Prime Minister when his Bhumjaithai Party was the second-largest member of the ruling coalition, led by Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai Party.
Before entering politics, Charnvirakul managed his family’s construction business. Over the years, he has also held key cabinet positions, including Interior Minister and Health Minister, according to news agency Reuters.
He started his political career with Thai Rak Thai. He was banned from politics for five years after Thai Rak Thai was dissolved in 2007. He returned as the leader of the Bhumjaithai party in 2012
He stepped down from the government in June following the leak of a controversial phone call between the then-Prime Minister and Cambodian leader Hun Sen, concerning a border dispute.
Charnvirakul and his government will officially assume office after receiving a formal appointment from Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
In 2022, Thailand amended its Narcotics Law to remove cannabis from the list of controlled substances, a landmark move advocated by then-Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. As leader of the Party, Anutin had made cannabis legalisation a central poll promise during the party’s 2019 general election campaign.
He was the health minister during COVID-19 and was credited with reopening Thailand to foreign tourism.
