Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared his party's likely victory at the Bhumjaithai headquarters in Bangkok on the evening of 8/2. He emphasized that "the victory belongs to all people", regardless of their vote, and affirmed the party would "serve the people".

Preliminary results from the Thai Election Commission indicate Bhumjaithai could secure about 192 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives. The People's Party (PP) followed with about 117 seats, and Pheu Thai with 74 seats. Other parties collectively won around 117 seats, Reuters analysis showed.

Thai Channel 3 projected Bhumjaithai would near 200 seats, with PP exceeding 100 seats, and Pheu Thai placing third.

People's Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut conceded his party "showed no signs of winning", despite uncounted votes. He affirmed PP would not join a Bhumjaithai-led government or form a competing alliance. "If Bhumjaithai forms a government, we will serve as the opposition", he stated at a press conference.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at a press conference at Bhumjaithai party headquarters in Bangkok on 8/2. Photo: AFP

Anutin's victory marks a "spectacular comeback", as Bhumjaithai placed third in the previous general election. He became Thai Prime Minister in 9/2025, after courts removed two Pheu Thai predecessors.

Anutin dissolved parliament and called for early elections from mid-12/2025, coinciding with a resurgence of the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict. Analysts suggest this move aimed to capitalize on rising nationalism in Thailand.

Prime Minister Anutin attributed the parliament's dissolution to "disorder" and inter-party competition, which made leading a minority government impossible.

This general election's outcome offers the prospect of forming a more stable ruling coalition, potentially ending Thailand's prolonged political instability. Napon Jatusripitak, a political scientist at the Thai Future Research Institute, believes this could be the first time Thailand has a government powerful enough to govern effectively in a long time.

Observers attribute Anutin's success to his nationalist message and strategy of attracting politicians from rival rural parties. Analyst Mathis Lohatepanont described the scale of Anutin's victory as "unexpected", highlighting how a nationalist political environment and the ability to rally conservative voters benefited Bhumjaithai.

Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, AFP)