Thailand: Cannabis advocate Anutin Charnvirakul takes office as new Prime Minister

Thai tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul took office as Prime Minister on September 7, after an endorsement from the Thai king started the conservative's tenure as the nation's new leader. Photo / Lillian Suwanrumpha, AFP

Thai tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul took office as Thailand’s Prime Minister on Sunday, with the cannabis-championing conservative ousting the nation’s dominant political dynasty and setting course for elections early next year.

Since the 2023 elections, Thailand’s top office has been monopolised by the Pheu Thai party of the Shinawatra dynasty – a populist force which has long sparred with the pro-monarchy, pro-military establishment.

But dynasty heiress Paetongtarn Shinawatra was last month sacked by court order, and Anutin rushed to piece together his own coalition Government – winning a Friday (local time) Parliament vote to shut Pheu Thai out of office.

Anutin previously served as Deputy Prime Minister, Interior Minister and Health Minister – but is perhaps most famous for being the architect of Thailand’s 2022 cannabis decriminalisation.

The construction magnate becomes the kingdom’s third leader in two years, and will also serve as Interior Minister. But he has taken power with coalition backing, conditional on dissolving Parliament within four months to hold fresh elections.

“Though we do not have much time, I hope to receive co-operation from everyone,” Anutin told reporters after taking office.

“My Government will work tirelessly,” he added. “We will dedicate ourselves to work because we only have four months.”

His term officially began after the royal endorsement of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, read aloud in a formal ceremony at Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok.

“His Majesty the King has endorsed Mr Anutin Charnvirakul to be prime minister from now onwards,” secretary-general of the Lower House of Parliament Arpath Sukhanunth said, reading out the royal command.

Dynasty in decline

Anutin is also known for managing tourism-dependent Thailand’s Covid-19 response and causing a backlash after accusing Westerners of spreading the virus.

He was once an ally of the Shinawatras – who have been a dominant force in Thai politics since the turn of the century, but are increasingly faltering after a succession of legal and political setbacks.

Anutin abandoned his coalition with their Pheu Thai Party this summer in apparent outrage over Paetongtarn’s conduct during a border row with neighbouring Cambodia.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court found on August 29 that conduct had breached ministerial ethics and fired her after only a year in power.

Thaksin Shinawatra, the dynasty patriarch, flew out of the kingdom in the hours before the Friday Parliament vote confirming Anutin – bound for Dubai, where he said he would visit friends and seek medical treatment.

The Supreme Court is due to rule on Tuesday (local time) in a case over Thaksin’s hospital stay following his return from exile in August 2023, a decision that could affect the validity of the former Prime Minister’s early release from prison last year.

While his guilt is not the subject of the case, some analysts say the verdict could see him jailed.

Thaksin on social media promised to return from Dubai to attend the court date “in person”.

“Me and my colleagues have faced legal bullying but the past is now behind us,” Anutin said on Sunday.

“My Government will adhere to the law and will not interfere in the justice system, letting the law take its course.”

– Agence France-Presse