Thailand is scheduled to cast votes in general elections on 8 February 2026, earlier than expected, after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved the House of Representatives last week.

According to the law, General elections must now take place within 45 to 60 days after the dissolution is published in the royal decree. At the latest, the 2026 general elections would be on 8 February 2026.

The Election Commission said on Monday (15 December) that the next general elections will be on 8 February 2026. The application date for the constituency will be on 27-31 December, and parties are required to submit lists of their party lists and prime ministerial candidates on 29-31 December.

The dissolution came after a chaotic parliamentary session on 11 December, in which MPs and senators rejected a proposal that future constitutional amendments be approved by a simple majority in a joint sitting, opting instead to require support from at least one-third of all senators.

Several Bhumjaithai MPs joined the vote to reject the committee’s proposal, while People’s Party MPs were in favour of limiting the Senate’s power, as proposed by the ad hoc committee.

As a result, the People's Party moved to prepare a no-confidence motion against Anutin's government. In response, Anutin submitted a request to dissolve the House.

For the upcoming general elections, 500 members of the lower house will be elected by parallel voting. 400 seats will be elected from constituency seats, and the remaining 100 seats will come from party lists. Voters will have to cast their votes on separate ballots. As has happened in the past, parties assigned the same number nationwide may benefit from voter mistakes.

The election results must be released by 9 April 2026 at the latest, while the first parliamentary session must be held within 15 days after the official results are announced.

The People’s Party was the first to announce its PM candidates: party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, Sirikanya Tansakun, and Veerayooth Kanchoochat. For Bhumjathai, it nominated three PM candidates: Anutin, Ekniti Nitithanprapas, and Supajee Suthampun. The last two nominees have yet to be confirmed as candidates, however.

Local media outlets reported that Pheu Thai also selected three potential PM candidates: Yodchanan Wongsawat, Thaksin Shinawatra’s nephew, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, and Julapun Amornvivat, the party’s leader. The Party is scheduled to officially announce its PM candidates and policies on Tuesday (16 December).

The 2026 general elections was supposed to be held along with two referendums, one regarding constitutional amendment, and another regarding the revocation of two MOUs with Cambodia. Given governing laws and the accelerated election schedule, it remains to be seen whether the referendums can still be organised at the same time.

The election schedule is also contingent upon developments on the Cambodian border where ongoing clashes have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. According to the law, if a general election cannot be held on the same day nationwide, it will not be considered valid.