BANGKOK — Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved Thailand’s parliament late Thursday, a preemptive move that headed off a planned no-confidence motion and came as his government rides a wave of nationalist support amid renewed military clashes with Cambodia.
The dissolution followed days of escalating cross-border fighting that shattered a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and stirred public anger over long-running territorial disputes. Anutin, who has embraced a hard-line posture, has drawn backing from ultranationalist and conservative groups for refusing to scale back military operations.
He has publicly rejected calls for a ceasefire and said he would not compromise even if the conflict affects ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States.
The move to dissolve parliament also came hours before U.S. President Donald Trump was expected to call both Anutin and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on December 11 in an effort to halt the fighting. Trump, who successfully mediated a ceasefire following the July clashes, expressed confidence he could broker peace once again.
Thailand and Cambodia fought for five days in late July before Trump mediated a truce signed by Anutin and Hun Manet in Kuala Lumpur on October 26. That deal collapsed on December 7 when both sides accused the other of launching fresh attacks along the Si Sa Ket Province border.
For Anutin, the renewed conflict appeared to offer an opportunity to regain political footing following widespread criticism over deadly floods in southern Thailand in late November. Nearly 270 people were killed in Hat Yai District and surrounding areas, and the government faced heavy scrutiny for its response.
The opposition Pheu Thai Party had planned a no-confidence debate against Anutin but delayed the motion to allow the government to focus on disaster relief. The border fighting further complicated the political calculus: Anutin’s minority government has relied on support from the main opposition People’s Party, whose votes helped him win the premiership in September.
The People’s Party’s decision to back Anutin over Pheu Thai’s nominee—who had pledged to dissolve parliament immediately—has remained a source of fierce criticism among Pheu Thai supporters. People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut has argued his lawmakers backed Anutin only under a four-month agreement that he would dissolve parliament and pursue constitutional amendments.
Pheu Thai supporters have dismissed that explanation, accusing the party of enabling conservative dominance under a constitution that benefits pro-establishment forces.
Those tensions sharpened on December 11 during an extraordinary joint parliamentary session on constitutional amendments. The Bhumjaithai Party, led by Anutin and aligned with the People’s Party in earlier votes, sided instead with conservative senators to restore a requirement that any constitutional amendment win approval from at least one-third of the upper house.
As the People’s Party scrambled to gather signatures for an immediate no-confidence debate, Anutin submitted a royal request to dissolve the House of Representatives.
At 10:05 p.m., he announced the decision on Facebook, writing, “I am returning power back to the people,” and replied “Alright then” to the People’s Party’s statement saying, “See you at the ballot box.”
The extraordinary session ended with lawmakers voting to send a referendum question to the Cabinet asking: “Do you agree to draft a new constitution?” The government had previously planned to hold the referendum alongside a general election expected in February.
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