As Thailand prepares to vote, can election deliver the change it needs?

Whoever wins will become Thailand’s fourth prime minister in three years but face a daunting task to revive the economy and ease political gridlock

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Thailand’s caretaker prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhumjaithai Party leader and prime ministerial candidate, with his party’s supporters during an election rally in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 30. Photo: Reuters

Published: 5:05pm, 6 Feb 2026Updated: 9:03pm, 6 Feb 2026

Thailand’s rival parties held final rallies late on Friday in a last-ditch push to win over undecided voters among a public craving change but still deeply split over the remedy for years of ulcerous political and economic decline.

The People’s Party and Pheu Thai packed out their respective stadium venues in Bangkok on Friday, pumping music to encourage supporters as leaders delivered appeals for every last vote.

In contrast, the Bhumjaithai Party’s rally in a convention centre in the capital, where it traditionally lacks political pull, was more staid.

But its leaders were also in a bullish mood about their prospects on Sunday.

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, acting finance minister and Bhumjaithai prime ministerial candidate, told This Week in Asia that his party had the medicine Thailand’s ailing economy needed.

“We plan to upgrade Thailand’s competitiveness, upskill [and] reskill the Thai people. We will target new industries … agritech, smart agriculture … smart electronics [and] data centres, but need to upgrade to AI and cloud services for Thai people.”

In a veiled reference to Pheu Thai’s generous subsidy pledges, he said: “But we will not use populist policies.”

As Thailand prepares to vote, can election deliver the change it needs?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Whoever wins will become Thailand’s fourth prime minister in three years but face a daunting task to revive the economy and ease political gridlock

Whoever wins will become Thailand’s fourth prime minister in three years but face a daunting task to revive the economy and ease political gridlock