Thailand's parliament has chosen business tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's prime minister - the third in two years, after yet another leader was removed from office.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who belongs to Thailand's most powerful political dynasty, was removed by the constitutional court last week for ethical violations over her handling of the border dispute with Cambodia.
Anutin's Bhumjaithai party broke from the coalition led by the Shinawatras' Pheu Thai, and secured enough support in parliament to win the premiership. The uncertainty may not be over for Thailand, which has seen multiple administrations deposed by court interventions and military coups in the recent past.
Anutin's rise to the premiership deals a significant blow to the Shinawatra family, which has dominated Thai politics since 2001, when Paetongtarn's father Thaksin became PM.
On Thursday night, there was intense scrutiny in Thailand of a private jet carrying Thaksin out of the country. Early on Friday, he posted on social media saying he had flown to Dubai for medical treatment and that he intends to return in time for a 9 September hearing for a court case that could put him back in jail.
His Pheu Thai party, which emerged as a major player in the 2023 election, is now on the sidelines. It had one last remaining candidate for PM, Chaikasem Nitisiri, who has little public profile and is in poor health.
The Shinawatras' populist policies in the past garnered wide support among lower-income Thais, but also put them at odds with Bangkok's conservative-royalist elite. Both Thaksin and his sister Yingluck, who served as prime minister after him, were ousted by military coups in 2006 and 2014 respectively.
Paetongtarn was the fifth Thai prime minister to be removed from office by the Constitutional Court, all from administrations backed by her father Thaksin.
After Anutin's election, the Pheu Thai-led coalition only formed the government after a reformist party was prevented from doing so, before it was dissolved by the Constitutional Court, with many leaders banned from politics for 10 years.
As a seasoned politician and dealmaker, Anutin, 58, has long aspired to the top job. However, he leads a coalition with only 69 of 500 parliamentary seats, relying on support from large parties to govern.
Staunchly royalist, Anutin faces significant challenges from the youth-driven People's Party, many of whom oppose forming an alliance with him. His premiership hinges on addressing the political crisis in Thailand, and he must act quickly, with elections promised within four months and the need to amend the military-drafted constitution.
