Anutin emphasized that the party ranked number one has the legitimate right to form the government first. If invited, they must consider whether the conditions are acceptable. He declared he does not close the door on alliances with either the Blue or Red parties and is not worried about being checked in the Khao Kradong case or Senate collusion. He revealed that on 8 February, he will closely monitor the situation in Buriram.
At 11:35 a.m. on 3 February 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, who is also the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) and a prime ministerial candidate, gave an interview at the Government House regarding claims that Bhumjaithai would win 200 constituency MPs and 20 party-list MPs. He said he never made such a speech. On 2 February, when he spoke in Suphanburi Province, he only spoke with a Suphanburi accent, saying 'Father is dog, mother is dog, child is dog, the whole family are dogs,' but never mentioned any numbers during his speech.
When asked if there was any assessment or latest figures on how many MPs Bhumjaithai would win, Anutin said that assessments should aim for the best outcome since they have been monitoring the campaigns of their candidates in every constituency nationwide. When asked if any party has approached them to join a coalition government, Anutin exclaimed "Ouch!" before saying, “Let's just get through Sunday, 8 February first.”
Regarding the claim that Bhumjaithai will be the number one party in the coalition, meaning they will try to gather a majority, Anutin said they try to uphold parliamentary rules as much as possible, which state that the government should have a majority in the House. The leading party should have the most seats in the government. This has been the straightforward practice regardless of which party forms the government. When asked if the coalition formation would be clear immediately after the polls close on 8 February, he said he prefers to wait for the numbers to stabilize. After polls close at 5 p.m., clear numbers will likely appear around 9 to 10 p.m.
When asked if the party ranked number one should lead the government formation, Anutin said, “That has always been the case. The party ranked first forms the government first. If it cannot, then the second-ranked party has the right, and if not, then the third. It follows a sequence. No one can steal the right to form the government first; there are rules, etiquette, and norms.”
When asked if Bhumjaithai would refrain from forming a government if the People's Party (Pop Chart) ranks first, Anutin revealed, that the party ranked first can form the government first. Looking back at past elections in 2019 and 2023, the party leading the coalition has always had the highest number of MPs in the House. In 2019, Palang Pracharath was the leading party; in 2023, Pheu Thai was the leader.
Regarding 2026, he said “also,” then stopped speaking and nodded. He added that only his government had a clear four-month term, making it a minority government, but within his coalition, Bhumjaithai had the largest number of members. They followed the rules, nothing unusual compared to other governments. When pressed on whether if the People's Party ranked first might be abandoned by parties ranked second, third, and fourth joining forces, Anutin said, “If they can form the government, who would abandon them? If the party ranked first can gather a majority, the government formation ends there.”
When asked how many days the party ranked number one would have to form a coalition before others could attempt to form a government, Anutin said he has seen parties always give each other time. Last time, when the Move Forward Party could not form a government, they showed good spirit by announcing their inability and letting Pheu Thai proceed. When asked if the number one party must announce first, Anutin said he doesn’t understand what “must” means, since he has never been the number one party or controlled the process.
When asked if Bhumjaithai would vote for a prime ministerial candidate from the People's Party if invited, Anutin asked back, “Did they call us? Did they invite us?” He said if invited, they would have to discuss. They do not yet know who ranks first or second, and whether conditions are acceptable or policies align. It is not a matter of accepting terms only when the government is formed and then withdrawing them a year later.
He added that the People's Party has acted well. If they work with them, they would have a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). He said not to see these as burdensome but rather as a guidebook, since sometimes gentleman’s agreements fail due to excuses, causing political instability.
When asked if Bhumjaithai would impose an MOA if the People's Party invited them to join the government, Anutin said to wait and not speak before election results are out, as the results are determined by the people. He said speaking prematurely ignores or disrespects the people's voice, so he is very careful and asked reporters not to ask too often to avoid slip-ups. When asked if things would be easier and faster if Bhumjaithai ranks first, Anutin chuckled but did not answer. When asked if he already has parties in mind for coalition, he laughed without answering.
Asked if Bhumjaithai as the coalition leader would have an MOA with coalition partners as a safeguard, Anutin said there must be something in writing. Regarding whether the MOA would be a reversal of what they experienced as a minority government, he said it is different. The MOA clarifies that their government lasted four months, but after two months, coalition partners imposed conditions outside the MOA they could not accept and told them to dissolve parliament. He said he dissolved parliament because he was advised to do so, as they were a minority government.
Asked about the possibility of Red and Blue parties joining hands post-election, Anutin reiterated he must wait for the election results to stabilize. There is still time; the government does not have to be formed on the night of 8 February or the first week. Last time in 2023, it took almost two months to form a government. When asked how he would assure the Kla Tham Party (KTT), which many parties reject, if he leads government formation, he replied that they should let the election finish first and every party should focus on managing their own affairs to gain the people's trust.
With only four days until election day, and given Bhumjaithai's current momentum, when asked if he feels excited, Anutin said he feels more alert than excited, having led four elections as party leader and many more as a party member. Having observed politics since childhood, he can predict and manage expectations fairly well. He admitted he does feel hopeful, as all humans competing do.
When asked if Pheu Thai would forget past grievances and join hands with Bhumjaithai, Anutin said he is the type who remembers good deeds but tends to forget bad ones easily because he wants to smile and greet people and avoid ill feelings.
. Regarding the saying, “In politics there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies,” Anutin was asked if this applies to him as Prime Minister. He replied that he does have permanent enemies but whether he shows it or not is another matter. He questioned the benefit of seeking revenge or settling scores. Since becoming Prime Minister four months ago, he has had power and could have done so, but sees no benefit as it would cause suffering. He said that if you do things to others, you must be careful because they may retaliate. Everyone is equal. The best approach is to think only good thoughts and treat each other well. As for bad things, he does not forget but avoids making them a major issue.
When asked if Pheu Thai had tried to reconcile, Anutin laughed and said, “Oh, why would they need to?” Asked if after campaigning he can gauge whether the public will approve his performance in the past 3-4 months, Anutin said he asks at every venue if they will approve, and most people applaud and cheer. He still has a hoarse voice now.
Asked if there will be a war room on election day, Anutin said, he will vote in Buriram Province and plans to drive around to check on election areas in Buriram, Surin, and Sisaket, which are routes he frequently travels to visit constituents. When the time is right, after consulting other districts, he will decide whether to stay overnight in Buriram or return to Bangkok. He told reporters not to follow him as he might return to Bangkok. When asked if he will not watch or join coalition talks in Bangkok, Anutin said, he will be in Buriram, where he feels relaxed and safe at home. When asked again if coalition talks would require going to Buriram, Anutin did not answer and only chuckled.
Asked if this election feels different because he must also maintain his position as Prime Minister and if he feels pressured, Anutin said they are doing their best. Whatever is best must be done. As Prime Minister, he has done everything already and there is nothing left undone. When asked if he fears being targeted over issues like Khao Kradong and Senate collusion if he returns as Prime Minister, Anutin asked what issues specifically. When told about these cases, he said that regarding Khao Kradong, the State Railway of Thailand is filing a lawsuit, which is proceeding according to legal steps without influence or interference.
“I can say confidently that neither I nor the Minister of Transport prioritize this issue because it is the responsibility of the State Railway. If they believe the property belongs to them and that someone has encroached, they must act fully and urgently.”
When asked if the State Railway has sent the case to the Ministry of Interior, Anutin said that any request to the Ministry must come with a court order. The Land Department and Ministry of Interior cannot revoke anyone's land without a court order. Once a court order is issued, they will act immediately, so there is no need to worry.