Thailand's Election Upset: An Unexpected Win for Conservatives

Thu Feb 12 2026 08:03:35 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The recent Thai election brought a surprising result, with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's conservative party, Bhumjaithai, achieving a stunning victory against expectations, leaving the progressive parties to ponder their strategy moving forward.

In a shocking outcome that defied most pre-election polls, Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's Bhumjaithai party emerged victorious in the recent elections, securing more than 190 seats in parliament. This result puts the party in a strong position to form a government, though likely with coalition partners. The progressive People's Party, initially predicted to win significantly, suffered a significant decline due to various factors, including its failure to capture rural votes and the lack of a central campaign issue to rally support around. This election marks a dramatic turn in Thailand's political landscape, highlighting a shift in voter sentiment amidst ongoing political challenges.

As the dust from what has been a hard-fought election campaign in Thailand settles, many Thais may be rubbing their eyes and asking, 'what just happened?'. Most of the opinion polls published before the election predicted a win for the progressive People's Party, expecting them to secure significant victories in parliament. However, after the votes were counted, Prime Minister Anutin's Bhumjaithai party triumphed, effectively sidelining the young reformists.

The election revealed significant shifts in voter dynamics, with the People's Party capturing nearly 10 million votes but finding it difficult in local contests compared to Bhumjaithai's strength in rural areas. Anutin Charnvirakul successfully aligned conservative support around his party while the reformists struggled to present a unified rallying point amid their recent political controversies.

The implications of this election may redefine Thailand's political landscape, with the likelihood of Anutin completing a full term after decades of instability among civilian leaders. Meanwhile, the future for progressive parties seems uncertain as they face internal challenges and a declining voter base.