Ultimately, the Bhumjaithai Party, with a stronghold in Buriram province, chose to listen to feedback from both within and the private business sector calling for stability, deciding not to include the Kla Party in the government formation this time.
This decision aims to allow the government led by Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the 32nd Prime Minister, to govern the country continuously for a full four-year term without facing legal risks that might cause history to repeat as it did in the past.
Meanwhile, the Democrat Party, holding 22 seats, missed the opportunity due to the condition that Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva must serve exclusively as Speaker of the House of Representatives, a position for which Bhumjaithai already has a suitable candidate. This resulted in a new government coalition totaling 295 seats from 14 parties, led mainly by Bhumjaithai with 193 seats cooperating with Pheu Thai’s 74 seats, totaling 267 seats, supported by coalition parties including Thai Ruam Palang, Prachachat, Palang Pracharath, Thai Economic, Thai Sang Thai, and seven smaller parties each holding one seat, forming a relatively stable parliamentary majority.
The process to assume power, according to the plan, requires waiting for the Election Commission (EC) to officially certify the results between February and March 2026, followed by April as the period for Members of Parliament to report and the parliament to convene to elect the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Then, in May, a crucial session will be held to vote for the Prime Minister, leading to the formation of the Cabinet, the oath-taking ceremony, and the policy address to parliament within June.
The positive signal from the alliance between the "blue" and "red" factions not only creates political stability but also strongly boosts market confidence, with the Thai stock market index soaring over the past seven days to close on Chinese New Year at 1,459.68 points, an increase of more than 105 points. This has earned the Prime Minister the nickname “Mr. +100 Points,” aligning with Finance Minister Dr. Akniti Nitithanprapas’s goal to push GDP growth to 3 percent this year after positive economic data exceeded expectations in the last quarter.
However, the true test for the new government will be accelerating real economic recovery alongside honest and transparent governance as expected by society.