The Prime Minister and his wife led the Cabinet in New Year merit-making for 2026, paying respects to sacred symbols at the Government House and blessing Thai people to start the year auspiciously with wealth, fulfilled wishes, a stable and strong nation, and a smooth election process.
At 7:30 a.m. on 5 January 2026, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is also Minister of Interior, together with his wife Thanon Niramis, led the Cabinet in a merit-making ceremony on the occasion of New Year's Day 2026 inside the Santi Maitri building at the Government House, where 10 monks were invited to chant Buddhist scriptures.
After the chanting ceremony, the Prime Minister and his wife led the Cabinet in almsgiving in front of the Thai Khu Fa building. The monks invited for the chanting and almsgiving included 10 senior monks holding ecclesiastical titles, such as Somdet Phra Phutthachan and Somdet Phra Maharatchamongkhol Muni from Wat Traimit Wittayaram, Phra Phromthilok from Wat Sam Phraya, Phra Promsitthi from Wat Saket, as well as monks and novices from Wat Moli Lokayaram, totaling 69 monks.
The Prime Minister and his team then paid respects to sacred symbols at the Government House, starting with Brahma, guardian spirits, and the ancestral spirit shrines before proceeding to pay homage to the Narasingha deity atop the Thai Khu Fa building.
. The Prime Minister also offered New Year blessings to the Thai people, wishing that all Thai citizens begin the year with good fortune, success, fulfilled wishes, wealth, good health, and that Thailand remains stable, strong, and prosperous with a bright future for everyone.
When asked by reporters what the government, in its caretaker role, most wants to focus on in the new year, the Prime Minister replied that the priority is to ensure the election proceeds smoothly and to quickly achieve the goals of the policies and directives already in place.
