Bangkok, Sep 5 (AP) Anutin Charnvirakul, confirmed by parliament as Thailand’s new prime minister on Friday, is widely recognized as a cautious and pragmatic politician capable of bridging the nation’s deep political divide.
Best known for his leadership in the campaign to decriminalize cannabis in Thailand, the 58-year-old Anutin has been supported in his political endeavors by his family’s wealth and a robust regional power base in the northeastern Isan region, where his Bhumjaithai party enjoys substantial backing from the large rural population.
Anutin's primary strength lies in his adeptness at navigating Thailand’s polarized political landscape, which has, for two decades, been split between supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the royalist-military establishment.
He served under Thaksin's administration from 2004 until a military coup in 2006. In 2019, leading his Bhumjaithai party, he took on the role of the health minister in the government led by former Army Commander Prayuth Chan-ocha, a known adversary of Thaksin. By 2023, Anutin had assumed the roles of deputy prime minister and interior minister within a coalition government led by the Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai party.
This coalition was abruptly dissolved in June, following an indiscreet phone call between then Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s daughter, and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. The conversation, which involved a territorial dispute, triggered a five-day armed conflict in July.
Hun Sen's leakage of the call's audio caused uproar due to Paetongtarn's familiarity with him and unfavorable comments about a Thai general. This led to Anutin resigning his cabinet posts and withdrawing his party from the coalition, causing the government to teeter with a slim parliamentary majority.
The Constitutional Court's suspension and subsequent dismissal of Paetongtarn on ethical grounds paved a swift path for Anutin to ascend to the role of prime minister.
Anutin’s Bhumjaithai party has distinguished itself as a key power broker in Thai politics, as noted by Thai studies scholars Napon Jatusripitak and Suthikarn Meechan. They attribute this to the party’s lack of strong ideological ties, recent pro-monarchy inclinations, aggressive recruitment strategies, and pragmatic shifts in alliances.
Born in Bangkok in 1966, Anutin is the offspring of politician and construction magnate Chavarat Charnvirakul. He studied engineering at Hofstra University in New York before joining his family’s company, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction PCL, becoming its managing director in 1995. The company has played a role in significant infrastructure projects, including Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Anutin’s political journey began in 1996 as an adviser to the deputy foreign affairs minister, later aligning with Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai party, which assumed power in 2001.
Despite holding deputy ministerial roles, Anutin was ensnared in the fallout from the 2006 military coup, which led to court-ordered dissolutions of Thaksin’s political network, resulting in a five-year ban from political activity. During this hiatus, Anutin returned to the family business and pursued his interest in aviation with his private aircraft.
Anutin’s other passion is gastronomy. He once revealed his love for diverse cuisines, whether street food or gourmet dishes.
With the end of his political ban in 2012, Anutin took leadership of the Bhumjaithai party, which had grown into an influential political entity in the northeast, thanks to the political insight of its founder, Newin Chidchob.
The 2019 election saw Bhumjaithai rank fifth, but it joined the government, and Anutin was appointed as deputy prime minister and public health minister.
His most notable policy achievement was the 2022 decriminalization of cannabis, a move lauded for its potential medical and economic benefits and reduction of the prison population. He even announced plans to distribute a million free cannabis plants to households.
However, the cannabis initiative was not without controversies. The absence of comprehensive regulations led to a surge of unregulated dispensaries and concerns over public consumption and child access. Recent efforts aim to tighten industry regulations.
Anutin contended that his party's legislative intentions were blocked by coalition partners.
As the public health minister, Anutin managed Thailand's COVID-19 response, a task for which he was criticized due to perceived delays in vaccine procurement.
More recent issues have also shadowed his career. These include alleged collusion in a Senate election favoring certain candidates and his involvement in a land dispute concerning property claimed by the state but linked to his mentor, Newin Chidchob. (AP) SKS NPK NPK
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