People’s Party declares no second chance of voting Anutin as PM

Natthaphong vows People’s Party MPs will not back Anutin again

The People’s Party, which has been betrayed twice since the 2023 election, has declared that its MPs will never again vote for Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul to become prime minister.

People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut made the statement during an online political talk show.

Natthaphong also apologised to supporters for the party’s earlier decision to back Anutin for the premiership, before what he described as Bhumjaithai’s betrayal over constitutional amendment efforts.

He further apologised for failing to push through charter changes aimed at rewriting what he described as a genuinely democratic constitution.

Party cites charter amendment vote as breaking point

After the Constitutional Court removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office over ethics violations on August 29, 2025, Anutin was elected prime minister by the House of Representatives, largely with support from the People’s Party.

Before backing Anutin, the People’s Party said it received assurances that Bhumjaithai would support a push for democratic constitutional reform. However, during the second reading of a charter amendment bill sponsored by the People’s Party, Bhumjaithai voted for a provision that would retain strong powers for senators—an outcome the People’s Party described as a betrayal.

Snap election set for February 8 after House dissolution

While the People’s Party was preparing a censure debate against Anutin over the issue, Anutin dissolved the House on December 12, 2025, avoiding the planned grilling. A snap election has been scheduled for February 8, 2026.

Natthaphong said that regardless of the election outcome, no People’s Party MP would vote for Anutin as prime minister again.

“No such incident will ever happen again,” Natthaphong said. “Don’t ever trust someone who has betrayed you.”

Background: from Move Forward to the People’s Party

The People’s Party was the largest party by number of MPs after the 2023 general election, when it won as the Move Forward Party. It later became the People’s Party after the Constitutional Court dissolved Move Forward over its push to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse-majesté law.

Despite winning the most seats in 2023, Move Forward failed to lead a coalition, with the post-coup constitutional framework allowing senators to take part in the prime ministerial vote.

The Move Forward agreed to support Pheu Thai as coalition leader, only to later be betrayed when it was excluded after Move Forward MPs voted for Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate, Srettha Thavisin.

Call for high turnout to strengthen mandate

Natthaphong said he was willing to accept criticism from supporters and acknowledged their disappointment, but urged them to look ahead and not fall into despair.

He said low turnout would be worse for the People’s Party than losing the election.

“The People’s Party is ready to accept the people’s mandate if more than 80% of eligible voters—or even up to 90%—turn out,” he said. “I won’t be disappointed if the People’s Party fails to come first in that scenario. But I’ll be disappointed if turnout is low.”

“Supporting side” remark dismissed as political rhetoric

Asked about Anutin previously describing the People’s Party as being on the “supporting side”, not the “opposition side”, Natthaphong said the remark was rhetoric aimed at discrediting the party.

He said the People’s Party had signed a memorandum of agreement with Bhumjaithai as a condition for supporting Anutin. Since Bhumjaithai, he said, broke its commitments under the agreement, the People’s Party no longer supported Anutin.

“We didn’t try to keep him in office,” Natthaphong said.