Our @channelnewsasia.bsky.social #ThaiElection26 live blog is now online with all the latest results, reactions and ramifications. I will be at the ruling Bhumjaithai Party, where PM Anutin hopes to convert his tenure of 3 months in a new mandate of 4 years.
Here's our
@channelnewsasia.bsky.social live report from 11am with me, Leong Wai Kit and Jeremy Koh on the #ThaiElection26 chances of Bhumjaithai, @peoplesparty.or.th and Pheu Thai Party - and why the constitutional referendum is so important.
Polls open in Thailand in a snap #ThaiElection26. Here’s our
@channelnewsasia.bsky.social live report from 8am with me and Leong Wai Kit to set the scene for a very long day:
You can watch all parts of my #ThaiElection26 preview series here in this playlist: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
*Note: PM Anutin's Thai nickname is "noo" - which could mean either mouse or rat as the Thai (and a few other Asian) languages don't really make a distinction between the two animals. The zodiac sign is also a rat after all.
Once a Mighty Mouse*, Anutin Charnvirakul and his Bhumjaithai have maneuvered themselves from ideologically flexible kingmaker to a big national platform serving as the new proxy of the conservative establishment. Here's our final @channelnewsasia.bsky.social #ThaiElection26 preview story:
Our 4th @channelnewsasia.bsky.social #ThaiElection26 story is on the @peoplesparty.or.th facing a familiar question: can Thailand's progressive-reformist party stay true to their ideals and still have the right to govern. We speak to party leaders Natthaphong and Sirikanya.
Two prime ministers ousted, its coalition imploded and its patriarch, Thaksin Shinawatra, back behind bars. With Thaksin's nephew now leading the #ThaiElection26 campaign, can it stop Pheu Thai's decline? Here's our third report in our week-long election series on @channelnewsasia.bsky.social.
Our latest @channelnewsasia.bsky.social report: Thailand's South saw unprecedented deadly floods last year that sparked heavy criticism at the govt's handling. Now with snap polls coming, the South is a key battleground. Here's our next installment in our weeklong election preview series.
Our first in our week-long #ThaiElection26 series for @channelnewsasia.bsky.social: With the world order unraveling rapidly, Thailand can't afford to ignore foreign policy in this election cycle any longer. And what does a frog have to do with it? 🐸
Watch here:
This Election Commission isn't very good at holding elections, is it? #ThaiElection26
Reminder that unlike in other countries, Thai elections DON'T HAVE EXIT POLLS! If any, broadcasters will usually publish a pre-election poll they have conducted a week prior to election Sunday. #ThaiElection26
Hello, I know I've been a bit quiet lately. That's because we've been preparing our #ThaiElection26 coverage. Starting today on @channelnewsasia.bsky.social, we look at the issues and main parties in this race. We'll have analysis and observations. Hope you'll like what we have for you this week. :)
Yes, but…
Ukrainian human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate @avalaina.bsky.social was in Bangkok recently and sat down with me to talk why Asia should still care about the war in Ukraine - and what still gives her hope.
Here's our @channelnewsasia.bsky.social interview:
The Shinawatras, the Duertes, the Kims - powerful patriarchs with daughters as (future) leaders. On this week’s #CNACorrespondent we ask if there’s no other way for women in Asia to rise to top?
“My Father’s Daughter” airs TONIGHT (Oct 1) at 8.30pm BK on @channelnewsasia.bsky.social
The Economist's artist doing the illustration on Thailand's new PM Anutin Charnvirakul definitely understood the assignment. 🐭
(Note: Anutin's nickname "Noo" ("หนู") colloquially means both rat or mouse in Thai)
🎥WATCH: The Cabinet of new Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul is endorsed and will take up office very soon. But this government may have a short lifespan despite the formidable challenges. Here's our @channelnewsasia.bsky.social report explaining it.
AT A GLANCE: The cabinet of new Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul was endorsed by the King today, with a mix of familiar faces that were ministers before but also many technocrats tasked to steer an interim minority govt for 4 months before snap elections are called next year.
#BREAKING: ANUTIN CHARNVIRAKUL BECOMES THAILAND's 32nd PRIME MINISTER
The Bhumjaithai Party leader has secured a majority, as parliament is still casting votes. He will lead an interim minority govt, pledging to @peoplesparty.or.th to call for snap elections within 4 months in office.
In personal news: We won an award!!! 🏆
Our #CNACorrespondent episode on the freed Thai hostages has won the @ContentAsia Award in the category “Best Current Affairs Programme Made in Asia”.
Thank you to my @channelnewsasia.bsky.social team and to you for keeping these stories alive!
10) Conclusion: We have two factions claiming to have enough votes to put forward their PM, but are wooing across the aisles for more votes. Defections are highly likely going to tip the scale one way or another. Not the best conditions to swiftly bring in a new govt... (END)
9) Late evening, Anutin claims to have enough votes to become PM incl. 10 defections from Pheu Thai. Phumtham later disputed that and signals PT's readiness to make a deal with @peoplesparty.or.th, the 2023 election winner they initially cooperated with but ultimately shunted them.
8) And Education Min Narumon Pinyosinwat from the Khlatham Party (25 + 5 defectors) also showed up at BJT instead of the coalition announcement. Their support alone could tip things over. They're playing hard to get now, hoping to get more cabinet seats essentially.
7) And this is where things get spicy: Dep. Commerce Min Suchart Chomklin leads a breakaway faction of the United Thai Nation Party with ~20 MPs and showed up at BJT to offer his support. Many within UTN have been unhappy being stuck in a frenemy coalition with Pheu Thai and want out.
6) Later that evening, the @bhumjaithai_TH agreed to @PPLEThai's demands, meaning that BJT leader Anutin is gunning for the PM seat - and revenge just months after his party was more or less chased out of the coalition. But they'd need to pull over more MPs.
5) Leading opposition @peoplesparty.or.th demands that to get their endorsement, the new PM must dissolve House and hold snap elex within 4 months while pushing for constitutional reform at the same time in order to end a political vicious cycle - but also hoping not to appear selling out.
4) So, the Pheu Thai Party-led coalition announced yesterday evening that they're sticking together. But caretaker PM Phumtham Wechayachai did NOT confirm Chaikasem as their pick, only acknowledging that he's an option. If you want to close the power vacuum asap, you'd say that outright.
3) (Note: like last year, it's only the elected MPs voting on a new PM. The provision to have the junta-era appointed Senators also join in the vote has expired last year.)
2) In the House, the coalition has a tiny majority after Bhumjaithai left the coalition after the Hun Sen call leak. This graphic doesn’t include defections increasing the lead a bit - but that also means allegiances can easily switch the other way.
