Thailand Prime Minister Dissolves Parliament After Brief 3-Month Tenure Amid Border Conflicts and Political Challenges

Anutin Charnvirakul, who assumed the role of Prime Minister in September following his predecessor's removal due to an ethics violation, has dissolved Thailand's parliament after just three months in office.

Thailand's Prime Minister officially dissolved parliament on Friday, as confirmed by a royal decree, setting the stage for general elections in early 2026. This decision came earlier than anticipated and amid renewed deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.

"The House of Representatives is dissolved to hold a new general election for members of the House," stated the decree published in the Royal Gazette.

Anutin Charnvirakul of the conservative Bhumjaithai party became prime minister in September after a court removed his predecessor from office over ethical violations. Earlier this year, he had committed to dissolving the lower house—the formal procedure to call an election—and holding a vote by early 2026. Political observers had expected Anutin to wait until after the Christmas period before dissolving parliament.

This political development occurs as fighting intensifies along the Cambodia-Thailand border, where clashes have resulted in at least 20 casualties and displaced approximately 600,000 people, primarily in Thailand.

The Royal Gazette cited a report from Anutin explaining the decision: "Since the administration is a minority government and domestic political conditions are fraught with multiple challenges, the government cannot continue administering state affairs continuously, efficiently, and with stability. Therefore, the appropriate solution is to dissolve the House of Representatives and hold a new general election."

Under Thai law, elections must take place between 45 and 60 days after parliament's dissolution, indicating polls will likely occur in late January or early February.

In a Facebook post on Thursday evening, Anutin stated he "would like to return power to the people," a recognized signal in Thailand indicating a prime minister's intention to dissolve parliament and pave the way for fresh elections.

The cannabis-supporting conservative leader took office in September with coalition backing that was conditional upon dissolving parliament, becoming Thailand's third leader in a two-year period.

Anutin was previously aligned with the influential Thaksin Shinawatra political family—a dominant force in Thai politics since the early 2000s that has recently experienced a series of legal and political setbacks. He abandoned his coalition with their Pheu Thai Party this summer, apparently angered by former Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's handling of a border dispute with neighboring Cambodia.

During his brief three-month tenure, Anutin has faced significant challenges including an escalating military conflict with Cambodia, an influx of people crossing into Thailand from Myanmar following attacks on scam operations, and the October passing of former queen Sirikit.