Anutin Charnvirakul Wins Thailand General Election as Prime Minister

Exam-focused facts from the 9 February 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Anutin Charnvirakul and the Bhumjaithai Party secured a victory in the Thailand general election held on 8 February 2026.
The Bhumjaithai Party won approximately 192 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, according to preliminary results from the Election Commission (EC).
Anutin Charnvirakul assumed the role of Prime Minister following the ousting of Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai party over a border crisis with Cambodia.
The People's Party, led by Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut, secured 117 seats and announced it would serve as the opposition.
A survey conducted by the National Institute for Development Administration (NIDA) correctly projected the Bhumjaithai Party as the winner of the election.
Voters also approved a referendum to replace the 2017 military-backed constitution by a margin of nearly two to one.
The Bhumjaithai Party campaign included pledges to implement a consumer subsidy programme and cancel a maritime claims agreement with Cambodia.