BANGKOK— Thailand’s opposition People’s Party, holding the largest bloc in parliament with 143 seats, has yet to decide whether to support the ruling Pheu Thai Party or its rival Bhumjaithai in forming a new government following the dismissal of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra last week.
Party spokesperson Parit Wacharasindhu stated today, September 1st, in an afternoon press conference that a final decision could come after the party’s executive and parliamentary group meets again on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025, as discussions continue amid intense lobbying from both sides.
The uncertainty has heightened Thailand’s ongoing political crisis, triggered by the Constitutional Court’s ruling on August 29, 2025, which removed Paetongtarn from office over an ethics violation stemming from a leaked phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. The call, recorded amid escalating border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, was criticized for appearing overly deferential to Hun Sen and potentially undermining national interests. Paetongtarn, the 39-year-old daughter of influential tycoon and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had served just about one year in the role, becoming the sixth Shinawatra-backed leader ousted by judicial or military intervention in two decades.
Pheu Thai, with 141 seats, has nominated veteran lawyer and former Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri, 77, as its prime ministerial candidate. The party, historically tied to Thaksin’s populist legacy, is scrambling to rebuild its coalition after Bhumjaithai’s withdrawal in June 2025, which left it with a slim majority. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated the urgency of resolving the impasse to avoid a “political vacuum,” warning that prolonged uncertainty could increase economic woes in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, already grappling with sluggish growth and international tensions.
Bhumjaithai, led by ambitious Anutin Charnvirakul and holding 69 seats, quit the coalition citing the leaked call’s damage to national dignity. The party has positioned Anutin as its candidate and has actively courted the People’s Party, formally accepting its key conditions for support: Dissolving parliament by year’s end and holding a referendum on constitutional reform alongside new elections. Anutin met with People’s Party executives on August 29th, pledging to address the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute and prioritize farmer welfare.
The People’s Party, a progressive successor to the dissolved Move Forward Party and rooted in the 2023 election’s anti-establishment wave, has emerged as the kingmaker. It won the most seats in that vote but was blocked from power by conservative forces, including military-appointed senators. Insisting on no “backroom deals,” the party demands formal negotiations and adherence to its four-month dissolution timeline to enable a constitutional referendum—potentially based on the 1997 charter.
Parit, an Oxford-educated former Democrat Party member and nephew of ex-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, reiterated the party’s distrust of both suitors, noting that informal talks with Pheu Thai have yet to materialize into official commitments. He warned that failure to back either could lead to a Pheu Thai-Bhumjaithai reunion, potentially extending their rule for two more years or even elevating a “non-democratic” figure like former junta leader Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, now a privy councillor.
Pheu Thai formally accepted the conditions on August 31 via a Facebook announcement, proposing to include border-related referendums and accelerate probes into alleged Bhumjaithai-linked scandals, such as alleged Senate election fraud and the Khao Kradong land dispute in Buriram province. However, the party previously rejected a shorter dissolution timeline, opting for six months, which the People’s Party dismissed as unacceptable. Meanwhile, smaller parties like Kla Tham (25 seats) have endorsed Anutin, showing support for the protection of Thailand’s “Nation, Religion, and Monarchy” pillars.
Parliament is set to convene a special session on Wednesday, September 3rd, with a prime ministerial vote possible this week if nominations solidify.
People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut stressed the need for transparency, vowing to honor the 2023 electorate’s mandate for early elections and anti-corruption measures. As the nation watches, the outcome could either break the deadlock or prolong instability, testing Thailand’s fragile democratic transitions.
