FACTBOX: Thailand's prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul

Thailand's parliament has reelected as prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the 59-year-old leader of the Bhumjaithai party, following a decisive win in February's general election.

PATH TO PREMIERSHIP

Anutin first became prime minister in September 2025 after manoeuvring swiftly to challenge the then-ruling Pheu Thai Party just hours after the dismissal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra from the role, after the Constitutional Court found she had violated ethical rules.

Anutin had contributed to her downfall months earlier, while deputy prime minister, by withdrawing Bhumjaithai from Paetongtarn's coalition after a damaging leak of her telephone call with influential former Cambodian leader Hun Sen over a border dispute. The call became the basis for Paetongtarn's eventual removal.

The then opposition People's Party backed Anutin to be prime minister in return for his promise to dissolve parliament within four months.

Amid a raging border conflict with Cambodia and growing prospects of a no-confidence vote after a spat with People's Party, Anutin dissolved parliament last December, heading off the likely collapse of his minority government.

With Bhumjaithai far adrift of People's Party in pre-election opinion polls, Anutin's party successfully rode a wave of nationalism to a surprise election victory in February, with 191 seats.

POLITICAL CAREER

Started in politics with Thai Rak Thai, the party founded by billionaire and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn's father.

Briefly held deputy ministerial roles in health and commerce successively under Thaksin in 2004, before returning to the health portfolio in 2005.

Banned from politics for five years after Thai Rak Thai was dissolved in 2007.

Returned in 2012 as leader of Bhumjaithai, which has northeastern strongholds and won 70 seats in the 2023 election.

As health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was credited with reopening Thailand to foreign tourism, a key driver of the economy.

Served as interior minister and deputy prime minister in the Pheu Thai-led government from 2023.

Led a successful effort to free up use of cannabis, wearing a cannabis leaf pattern shirt while voting in 2023.

The legal changes boosted recreational use and the number of cannabis shops, upsetting conservatives and leading to Pheu Thai's plans to recriminalise non-medical marijuana.

He is close to the monarchy, recently accompanying King Maha Vajiralongkorn on visits to Bhutan, China and Laos, while positioned himself as part of both a regional political dynasty and the royalist-conservative establishment.

FAMILY AND BUSINESS

Nicknamed Noo, or "mouse" in Thai, he is the son of Chavarat Charnvirakul, a businessman-politician and former caretaker prime minister.

Heir to his family's construction firm, Stecon Group STECON.BK, which built Bangkok's parliament buildings.

Anutin has a degree in industrial engineering from New York's Hofstra University.

Keeps close ties to business elites and influential political figures such as Newin Chidchob, who has a stronghold in Thailand's northeast.

His interests include recreational flying and collecting Buddhist amulets.

-Chaut Setboonsarng, Thanadech Staporncharnchai and Orathai Sriring/Reuters