A profile of Anutin Charnvirakul, partner of Ja Thananon, whose re-election as prime minister was expected as the parliament voted to give him another term. He expressed warm words, describing everyone in parliament as good friends, and pledged that his government would manage the country for maximum benefit.
On 19 March 2026, the prime ministerial vote went as expected when the House of Representatives convened.. On 19 March, the House of Representatives voted 293 to 119, with 86 abstentions, to return Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, as the 32nd Prime Minister for another term. Following this, Sopon Sarum, Speaker of the House, will submit his name to the King for royal appointment as prime minister.
Anutin Charnvirakul, currently the 32nd Prime Minister, was born on 13 September 1966. Nicknamed “Noo,” he is the son of Chavarat Charnvirakul, also known as Pu Jin, a former MP and multiple-term minister. Media often call Anutin “Sia Noo.” He is currently 59 years old.
Anutin first married Sanongnuch Wattanawarangkool in 1990 and has two children, Nainphak and Seranee Charnvirakul. They divorced in 2013, and he remarried Sasithorn Chantrasombun. In January 2019, Anutin divorced Sasithorn and is currently in a relationship with Thananon Nirasit, known as Ja, his third wife. They officially registered their marriage on 13 February 2026 at their private residence. Dusit district officials conducted the registration in a warm ceremony with their children and witness Attasit Sampantharat, Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, and his wife present. The couple had dated for over two years. Anutin once said he often checked in at Ja’s coffee shop in Ranong province.
Ja Thananon also completed the Future Executive National Defense Course (Wor Por Bor or Mini Wor Por) Class 1 at the National Defense College, the same class as Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Thailand’s 31st former prime minister.
Anutin completed secondary education at Assumption College before studying in the United States in 1989. He earned a degree in engineering from Hofstra University in New York and began his career in the family business.
He also pursued additional studies including a Mini MBA at Thammasat University, an honorary Doctorate in Civil Engineering from Ramkhamhaeng University, executive programs at the Capital Market Academy (Class 9), senior management in urban development (Metropolis 1), urban development and high-level elections (Class 3), advanced justice process management (Class 17), an honorary Doctorate in Business Administration in Management from Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, senior executive commerce program (TEPCOT 9), senior executive training with the Royal Thai Police, among others.
In 2017, he completed the Business Reform and Innovation Networking Program (BRAIN 1), the 5th Medical Governance Certificate for Senior Executives (Por Thor Por 5), the 1st Senior Executive Tourism Management Program (KTS 1), honorary Doctorates in Public Administration from Western University, in Management from Srinakharinwirot University, and in Economics from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the 6th Rule of Law for Democracy course (Nothap 6), and the 61st class of the National Defense College.
Anutin entered politics in 1996 as advisor to the Foreign Minister (Prawub Chaisarn) and served as Deputy Minister of Public Health (2004–2005) and Deputy Minister of Commerce (2004). Later, he was banned from politics for five years due to his role as an executive committee member of the Thai Rak Thai Party. After the ban ended in 2012, he joined the Bhumjaithai Party, the party of his father Chavarat Charnvirakul, who moved from the People's Power Party with a group of Newin friends, and was elected party leader succeeding his father.
In the 2014 general election, Anutin ran as the top party-list candidate for Bhumjaithai, but the election was annulled. In the 2019 election, he was again the first party-list candidate for Bhumjaithai and was nominated as the party’s candidate for prime minister.
After the election, Anutin and Bhumjaithai joined a coalition government with the Palang Pracharath Party, supporting General Prayut Chan-o-cha to continue as prime minister for a second term. Anutin was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, also serving as chairman of the Health Systems Research Institute.
During his term as Minister of Public Health, controversy arose when Anutin referred to COVID-19 as “a trivial virus” before the outbreak worsened in Thailand, with daily infections reaching tens of thousands and hundreds of deaths for several months.
In the 2023 election, Anutin was re-elected as the top party-list candidate for Bhumjaithai and again nominated as a prime ministerial candidate. Subsequently, he joined a coalition led by the Pheu Thai Party and took office as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
Following the formation of a new government led by the Pheu Thai Party, with the progressive Move Forward Party unable to form a government despite winning the most votes, Pheu Thai invited Bhumjaithai, holding 71 MPs, to join the coalition. After the government was formed and appointed by the King, Anutin assumed the roles of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
By late 2024, Anutin and his coalition partners faced severe conflicts over policies and administration, causing major disagreements. In June 2025, Anutin submitted a letter resigning from his positions as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
A political crisis arose when Paethongtarn Shinawatra was ruled by the Constitutional Court, by a 6-3 vote, to have lost her ministerial position due to serious ethical violations related to an audio clip of a conversation with Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate. This led to a vote to select a new prime minister.
The Bhumjaithai Party then approached the Prachachon Party, led by Natthapong Ruangpanyawut, a coalition partner, but the Prachachon Party refused and proposed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with conditions to amend the constitution, form a minority government, and dissolve parliament for a new election within four months. If unmet, they threatened a no-confidence motion. After Bhumjaithai agreed, Prachachon allowed its 142 MPs to vote for Anutin as the 32nd prime minister on19September 2025. However, in December 2025, during a joint parliamentary session on 11 December, Bhumjaithai tore up the MOA, refused to vote on the constitutional amendment as proposed by the majority committee regarding removing the one-third Senate vote in constitutional amendments, and petitioned the King to dissolve parliament, preempting a no-confidence motion from Prachachon.
In the 2026 election on 8 February, the Bhumjaithai Party, led by Anutin, overturned the Prachachon Party to become the top party with 192 seats. Anutin returned as the 32nd prime minister for another term, also retaining the Interior Ministry portfolio in his second cabinet.. After the parliamentary vote for prime minister on 19 March 2026, Anutin declined to comment on the “orange snake” issue that allegedly swung votes but thanked parliament for supporting his second term and expressed openness to all suggestions for governing the country.
Anutin expressed gratitude to all fellow members who nominated him for prime minister. He said that regardless of which party an MP belongs to or how they voted, in his heart, every member’s voice is equally important. He is ready to listen to advice and assured all parliamentarians that he will work together with all MPs for the utmost benefit of the country and its people.
“Everyone knows that since we met in parliament, I have considered everyone good friends and prioritize the interests of the country, and the people together. My government will continue to manage the country for the greatest benefit,” Anutin said.
