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Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) – “The social situation after the elections seems calm. What Thais expect is governability and stability for the country; this is what the vote reflected,” Msgr. Paul Trairong Multree, Bishop of Surat Thani, in southern Thailand, told Fides after the February 8 elections, in which the Bhumjaithai (Thai Pride) party, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, emerged victorious.
“It is true that, due to the recent conflict on the border with Cambodia, nationalist sentiments have marked the last few months in Thailand,” the Bishop noted. “Currently, the conflict is in a truce phase, which we hope will be respected by both sides, and we trust that the new government can transform it into a lasting and definitive peace agreement that restores good relations and normalcy to economic and trade exchanges.” “In my diocese, in the south of the country,” he explains, “this tension is not felt: it is mainly experienced by the Thai populations in the provinces bordering Cambodia.” “Nationalism has gained ground,” he adds, “also because there are groups in both countries that have tried to exploit this situation for their own benefit.”
Regarding the election results and the prospects for government, Peter Rachada Monthienvichienchai, a Thai Catholic layman and Secretary General of the organization Signis, tells Fides: “The people voted overwhelmingly for the incumbent administration, rejecting radical reforms.” “The parties that came in second and third place,” the analyst continues, “suffered significant losses. In particular, the Pheu Thai party, for the first time in its history, won fewer than one hundred parliamentary seats.” Likewise, “the poor performance of the second-place party, the People’s Party, was surprising. Their campaigns displayed great energy, with intensive use of social media and online and offline influencers, and yet they still lost more than 30 seats.” Today, Peter Rachada concludes, “the key challenge for the future will be to form a coalition government that allows the winning party, Bhumjaithai, to fulfill its campaign promises.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 10/2/2026)
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