October 1, 2025
BANGKOK – He vowed not to misuse his authority for personal benefit or to shield himself or others from legal consequences. If I find anyone breaking the law, I will not wait for others to act. I will take action myself — even against myself if necessary, he said.
Anutin urged MPs to see political debates in the House as part of their duty, not personal animosity, and called for unity outside parliament.
“For the next four months, there must be no quarrels. The people would lose out. Instead, we must compete to serve them well, and let voters judge us without advantage for any party,” he added.
Responding to concerns that Bhumjaithai’s control of the Interior Ministry could unfairly benefit his party, Anutin said such fears were unfounded, noting that both he and Phumtham Wechayachai, the former interior minister, had faced political setbacks just months earlier.
He stressed he would not be intoxicated by power or use it to target opponents, saying electoral outcomes depended on party platforms and candidates.
On constitutional reform, Anutin reaffirmed the government’s commitment under its memorandum of agreement (MOA), promising to support amendment efforts. He said changes should be completed this year, ideally by December.
While acknowledging that related organic laws could not be passed within four months, he said the groundwork would be laid for the next administration to continue immediately.
He also sought permission to convene a cabinet meeting in parliament to swiftly address matters of public benefit.
People’s Party urges PM to use his influence to persuade senators on charter reform
Parit Wacharasindhu, list MP of the People’s Party, wrapped up his party’s debate by warning that while this government may be short-lived, it risks causing long-lasting damage if it fails to deliver on key reforms.
He stressed the importance of honouring the MOA with his party to draft a new constitution.
Parit said he did not expect the administration to serve out a full term, describing it instead as a transitional government tasked with dissolving parliament and unlocking constitutional reform. As a minority government, he noted, it would be unable to pass legislation without opposition support.
He outlined three urgent “wars” the government must confront over the next four months:
- The economic war – stimulating consumption so that people can make ends meet. He said the People’s Party would not oppose the “Let’s Go Halves Plus” scheme, but urged the government to add conditions that genuinely boost demand, rather than merely shifting sales from non-participating shops.
- The trade war – helping businesses survive amid global uncertainty. He emphasised tackling “rule-of-origin fraud” based on accurate private-sector data, and ensuring anti-dumping measures are accessible across all industries.
- The Thai-Cambodian border war – restoring safety and normalcy for people along the frontier. Most importantly, he said, Thailand must undermine the financial networks and international legitimacy of Cambodia’s leadership by dismantling the grey businesses sustaining it.
Parit sets red lines: no handouts, hollow laws, asset sales
Parit cautioned the government against three major pitfalls in its policymaking and conduct: selling goods, selling dreams, and selling the nation’s assets.
By selling goods, he referred to populist handout schemes designed to win short-term political support while creating burdens for future administrations. Such policies, he argued, may appear to ease the cost of living but lack credible mechanisms to achieve real and lasting relief, relying instead on taxpayers’ money as pre-election promotions.
The second danger, he said, was selling dreams through promises of ambitious laws that could never be passed within the government’s four-month tenure.
He cited the National Education Act, which has been long awaited but remains bogged down in conflicting drafts, as well as the 200-article Climate Change Act, whose targets do not align with government policy.
He also questioned whether the administration had prepared a serious draft of the Gambling Act, noting that its stated goal of tightening regulation contradicted earlier proposals under Anutin that sought to expand officials’ discretion over online gambling.
Parit further warned against selling the nation’s assets, stressing that defending sovereignty and borders must also extend to safeguarding natural resources and political institutions. He pointed to the Khao Kradong land scandal, urging the prime minister to support legal action to revoke plots unlawfully claimed by powerful figures in Buriram.
He also demanded that the government prevent individuals proven to be involved in corruption from retaining influence in the Senate, and ensure investigations are free from conflicts of interest or political interference.
Parit says Anutin must prove sincerity on constitution
Parit stressed that while the People’s Party had never demanded the government focus exclusively on constitutional reform, it was no coincidence that since the 2017 charter came into force Thailand has suffered democratic backsliding, stale policies and entrenched corruption.
He said the charter had stifled innovation in policymaking, with governments forced to fight endless legal battles instead of designing new policies.
Despite claims that the 2017 constitution would combat corruption, Thailand’s corruption ratings have worsened to their lowest in a decade, while watchdog agencies were misused for political harassment rather than genuine oversight.
Parit admitted he did not expect a brand-new constitution to be completed within four months, but criticised the government’s vague three-line statement on the issue.
He insisted that the survival of Anutin’s minority government depended directly on advancing a clear roadmap for constitutional reform, beginning with a referendum.
He said the prime minister must ensure that all coalition MPs commit fully to this plan — securing passage of the three constitutional amendment bills in their first reading by October 14–15, allowing a special committee two months to review them, and completing the second and third readings by the end of December.
After the New Year, Anutin would then need to work with the Election Commission to prepare for a referendum to be held alongside the general election, before dissolving parliament at the end of January.
Parit further stressed that Anutin must confirm his support for a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) model and a mechanism that guarantees meaningful public participation in writing the new charter.
If the full Constitutional Court ruling allows an elected CDA to proceed, he argued, the prime minister must back it wholeheartedly rather than exploit legal ambiguity to impose a model that sidelines the people.
He said that for Anutin to stand up and endorse both the roadmap and the CDA principle would not only reaffirm the government’s commitment under the MOA with the People’s Party, but also provide a crucial opportunity to send a direct message to senators, who hold the key to unlocking constitutional reform.
“Although persuading senators is a duty for all MPs, the person best positioned to succeed is none other than Anutin Charnvirakul — not just because he is prime minister, but because in many instances he has shared common ground with the Senate and moved in the same direction,” Parit said.
While Anutin may deny such ties, Parit added, the public recognises them. Over the next four months, the Senate’s cooperation on constitutional reform will serve as a test of the prime minister’s sincerity and seriousness.
With so much of Thailand’s future and the hope for a new charter resting in his hands, Anutin must show that he does not view the issue as a burdensome condition of the MOA, but as a national mission to repair the country and secure a better future for its people, Parit concluded.