Business magnate takes front seat as Parliament elects new Prime Minister in Thailand

Thailand's parliament is set to vote for a new prime minister on Friday, with Anutin Charnvirakul, a right-wing tycoon and construction magnate, looking likely to take the helm.

Anutin, who has served as deputy prime minister, interior minister, and health minister in the past, has secured enough support from opposition blocs to likely have a comfortable majority in the lower house. He has also gained the crucial 143-seat backing of the largest opposition People's Party.

The vote aims to replace the current prime minister, who is a member of the Shinawatra family's political dynasty. The Shinawatra's Pheu Thai party, which has governed in a caretaker capacity, has made a last-ditch effort to forestall the vote by requesting the palace to dissolve parliament. However, royal officials rejected the bid, citing "disputed legal issues" around Pheu Thai's ability to make such a move as an interim administration.

Anutin's rise to power comes amidst a series of political developments. Anutin once backed the Shinawatra's Pheu Thai coalition but abandoned it this summer. The Shinawatra family's figurehead, Thaksin Shinawatra, left the country ahead of the parliamentary vote, bound for Dubai for a visit with friends and medical treatment.

Thaksin's eligibility for a prison early release scheme is set to be ruled on by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Last year, the Constitutional Court found that Thaksin's daughter, Ms Paetongtarn, had breached ministerial ethics and fired her after only a year in power.

Anutin has been at the forefront of the country's Covid-19 response, although he has been embroiled in controversy. He accused Westerners of spreading the virus and was forced to apologize after a backlash. However, he is most famous for legalizing cannabis in 2022. This backing comes with the condition that parliament is dissolved within four months for fresh elections.

Pheu Thai has pledged to put forward its own candidate for prime minister, Chaikasem Nitisiri, who served as justice minister under a previous Shinawatra prime minister. Voting is expected to take place around 10am in the parliament building, which was constructed by Anutin's family firm.

Thaksin has stated that he will attend the court date "in person". It remains to be seen how these political developments will unfold in the coming days.

Business magnate takes front seat as Parliament elects new Prime Minister in Thailand