Neither his Bhumjaithai Party nor the People's Party, which is leading in the polls, are expected to win a majority, making a coalition government likely
But the big question hanging over this election is how well the young, reformist People's Party performs, If it exceeds the 151 seats it won in 2023, barring it from governing may prove difficult, despite the unease about its agenda in conservative and royalist circles
The economy, slowed down by a lack of reforms, high household debt and rising costs, is high on the agenda .Also on the ballot: a referendum on rewriting the military-backed constitution, which critics say gives too much power to the unelected senate
The populist Pheu Thai party represents the latest incarnation of political parties backed by former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra
The Shinawatras have dominated Thai politics for decades. The previous government coalition was led by Thaksin's daughter, Paetongtarn, together with Anutin's Bhumjaithai party
But Paetongtarn was removed from office last year after a leaked phone call scandal - and the Bhumjaithai party broke from the coalition, with Anutin securing enough support to win the premiership
The party is now hoping to make a comeback with its latest Shinawatra member - Yodchanan Wongsawat, Thaksin's nephew - at the helm
They are the third incarnation of Thailand's progressive movement, which has championed better social and economic equality for Thais
Its predecessors, the Future Forward Party and Move Forward Party had sought to curb military and monarchy influence in politics
Their campaigns proved immensely popular, and in the last election, Move Forward emerged as the biggest winner. But it did not have an outright majority and was blocked from forming a government
Move Forward was dissolved in 2024 by Thailand's Constitutional Court, which ruled that it had violated the constitution by campaigning to amend the lese-majeste law
Despite being banned from politics, the leaders of Future Forward and Move Forward have helped to campaign in this election
But unless they get an outright majority and can govern on their own, the People's Party's path to power will likely be paved with hurdles
In the late 1980s, Thailand was hailed as an "Asian tiger", posting double-digit growth and seen as one of the region’s rising stars.
Today, that shine has faded. Over the past five years, domestic consumption, manufacturing and even tourism - a pillar of growth - have all weakened.
As a result, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy has been expanding at a sluggish pace of around 2%, well behind regional peers like Vietnam and Indonesia.
The International Monetary Fund predicts that growth will slow further this year to just 1.6%, the weakest among the region’s major economies.
Structural problems are further weighing on the economy. Thailand has a rapidly ageing and shrinking population and one of Asia’s highest household debt levels.
At the same time, an influx of cheaper Chinese goods and fierce competition from newer manufacturing hubs like Vietnam are eroding Thailand’s industrial base.
Persistent political instability and frequent changes of leadership have only added to investor uncertainty, delaying reforms, weighing on infrastructure and tourism projects, and hitting overall confidence in the economy.