Thailand has dissolved parliament, with a general election set to take place within 45 to 60 days.
As reported by the BBC, on Friday, December 12, in a royal decree, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cited the deadly border dispute with Cambodia, among other issues his minority government failed to tackle since it took office in September.
"I'd like to return power to the people," he said in a one-line post on Facebook.
Anutin is Thailand's third prime minister since August 2023, and when he took power, he said he would dissolve parliament by the end of January.
However, now facing an imminent vote of no confidence, the 59-year-old has moved the election forward.
His Bhumjaithai party was also criticised for failing to take appropriate actions during severe flooding in southern Thailand last month, which claimed at least 176 lives.
The dissolution order came after the prime minister lost the support of the People's Party, the largest party in parliament.
While the two parties hold opposite ideologies, the support came with some conditions. The progressive party wanted Anutin to start reforms of Thailand's military-drafted constitution and to dissolve the house within four months.
Over the past year, Thailand has been in political turmoil, with two prime ministers dismissed by the courts.
Anutin's predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was removed for violating ethics after she was heard calling Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen "uncle" and criticising the Thai army in a leaked phone call.
Srettha Thavisin, the leader before her, was also dismissed for violating ethics by appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who was once jailed.
