Thailand’s ruling party running on nationalist vote pitch

Apparent backing of the conservative establishment gives it edge in Feb 8 polls

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ballots during advance voting for the Feb 8 general election at a polling station in Bangkok on Feb 1. Analysts say the ruling Bhumjaithai party could win as many as 150 seats out of a possible 500 in this election, up from 71 when it placed third in 2023. PHOTO: EPA

(EPA)

Thailand’s general election, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul trekked to the Thai-Cambodian border and posed with front-line soldiers as the national flag fluttered in the breeze, protective gear layered over his government uniform.

That embrace of the military, and apparent backing of the country’s conservative establishment, has given Mr Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party an edge in the Feb 8 vote.

Once seen as a mid-sized broker skilled at trading seats for Cabinet posts, it has expanded its footprint, leveraging its time in government and pragmatic deal-making to court voters beyond its traditional rural strongholds.

As nationalist sentiment surged following 2024's flareup along the border, Mr Anutin has tapped public concerns over security and national pride by promising stability and a firm defence of Thai sovereignty — a message that has resonated as tensions linger.

“] will keep the border crossings closed, | will protect your land, I will build a wall for you,” Mr Anutin said at a rally last week in Ubon Ratchathani, one of seven provinces bordering Cambodia and one which saw thousands forced to evacuate during the clashes.

“If they fire artillery at Thailand, they don’t know what's coming for them. They won't dare. We’ve shown them. We’ve protected every square inch of our land.”

Such close alignment with the military sets Bhumjaithai - which means “proud to be Thai” - apart from the rest of the parties in an election likely to produce another fractured Parliament.