International media watch Thailand’s PM vote as Thaksin flies out of the country
Thailand’s PM vote set for September 5 amid political turmoil, as Thaksin leaves for Dubai; uncertainty surrounds the future government.
International media are closely watching Thailand as the House of Representatives prepares to vote for a new Prime Minister on Friday, September 5, amidst ongoing political turmoil. The vote has been overshadowed by the departure of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, one of Thailand’s most influential political figures, who left for Dubai on a private jet on Thursday.
Reuters reported that the billionaire and divisive political figure, who has shaped Thailand’s politics for over two decades, departed as Pheu Thai Party faced intense political pressure. Thaksin’s departure comes six days after his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was removed as Prime Minister due to ethical concerns. This has ignited an internal power struggle within Pheu Thai and opened the door for opposition parties to attempt to form a new government.
Despite winning five out of the last six elections, Pheu Thai is currently facing challenges from Bhumjaithai Party, a former ally, which is now supported by a large bloc of MPs in Parliament. Bhumjaithai has made a commitment to call for new elections within four months.
The political uncertainty has made Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of Bhumjaithai, the frontrunner in the upcoming Prime Minister vote, with Anutin needing more than half the votes in the House of Representatives to secure the position. Reuters notes that his coalition holds 146 seats, and although the People’s Party is in opposition, it has pledged to support Anutin, contributing 143 votes, making it likely he will meet the required 247 votes.
After a failed attempt to dissolve the House and prevent Anutin’s rise, Pheu Thai has yet to concede, nominating Chaikasem Nitisiri as their candidate for Prime Minister and vowing to dissolve the House immediately if he is elected.
Thaksin’s sudden departure amid the crisis has raised doubts over Chaikasem’s prospects on the national stage. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Thaksin announced that he had arrived in Dubai for a health check-up, the location where he had lived for most of the past 15 years in exile. He confirmed he would return to Thailand by Monday, September 9, 2025.
