Thailand is moving swiftly towards national elections, with a senior government official confirming that the most likely poll date is March 29, 2026. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has been in discussions with the Election Commission of Thailand to finalise the timeline.

The government intends to dissolve parliament by the end of January in preparation for the election, as the prime minister pledged when assuming office in September.

Alongside the election, two referendums are expected: one on approving a new constitution and another on revoking two border-demarcation agreements with Cambodia.

The estimated combined budget for the poll and referendums is about 9 billion baht and roughly 53 million Thai citizens are eligible to vote.

The elections will mark the first major test of Anutin’s leadership since he became prime minister.

His ascent followed the withdrawal of his party from the previous coalition and a parliamentary vote that installed him in September.

Under the agreement that secured his backing from the opposition People’s Party (Thailand), he committed to holding an election within four months and to constitutional reform.

For Thailand’s government, the forthcoming election and referendums represent a strategic opportunity to renew legitimacy, stabilise governance and refresh policy direction after years of frequent leadership changes.

The combination of national vote and citizen referendums also signals a broader push to involve the public more directly in landmark decisions on constitutional and territorial issues.

The calendar, if confirmed, will set March 29 as a decisive moment for the nation’s political and constitutional future.