Thailand’s cannabis champion eyes bigger role following May election
- Health minister Anutin Charnvirakul is confident his Bhumjaithai Party will be part of the next government, after tight contest
- Last year’s legalisation of cannabis – and his support of that – has brought his party more attention, both positive and negative
Thailand’s health minister who championed the legalisation of cannabis is hoping the reform will help deliver gains in next month’s election, with expectations he could emerge as a power broker who can stitch together a coalition government.
Anutin Charnvirakul, 56, is confident his Bhumjaithai Party will be part of the next government after an election that is shaping up to be a tight contest between pro-military conservatives and their populist opponents.
The economy is the main election issue with signs of recovery despite inflation and a global slowdown, but last year’s legalisation of cannabis has brought Anutin and his party more attention, both positive and negative, in the run-up to the May 14 vote.
“We’ll win more seats than last time, for sure. Our goal is to get parliamentary seats in the three digits in this election because of what we’ve done,” said Anutin, a deputy prime minister and health minister.
In the last election in 2019, when electoral rules favoured small and medium-size parties, Bhumjaithai, or Proud to be Thai, won 51 seats in the 500-member parliament, becoming a junior partner in a coalition dominated by pro-military parties.