Rarely in the history of electoral democracies does a party rise from getting 13% of the national vote in one election to forming the government after the subsequent election. The Pheu Thai party of the Shinawatra family, which has given Thailand four prime ministers, came third in the recent election. While that could bring stability, it will not by itself heal the wounds that led to this moment. Relations with Cambodia — which were also a trigger for the collapse of the Pheu Thai party government that enabled Mr Charnvirakul to come to power — remain tense. Yet, India’s diplomatic corps is adept at dealing with Thailand’s many political forces: monarchist and military, reformist and family-led.

Source: The Telegraph February 13, 2026 03:07 UTC