Thailand’s Anutin rides wave of nationalism to poll victory

Thailand’s caretaker premier Anutin Charnvirakul was preparing for coalition talks Monday after his conservative Bhumjaithai Party surged to a stunning election victory on a wave of nationalism.

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The pro-military and pro-monarchy party had its best electoral performance ever in polls that took place after border clashes with Cambodia during two rounds of deadly fighting last year.

But Anutin, the scion of a construction dynasty, will need to tackle anemic economic growth and manage fallout over multibillion-dollar cyberscam networks operating from the region.

“Thailand will move like it moved in the past three months. We will see nationalism, a strong position on Cambodia and economic policies. Nothing changes,” said Virot Ali, politics lecturer at Thammasat University.

Bhumjaithai was forecast by local media to have won almost 200 seats in Sunday’s vote, well ahead of others but short of an outright majority in the 500-member lower house.

The reformist People’s Party trailed with around 120 seats, while Pheu Thai -- the party of jailed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- came in third.