Thai Rak Thai (lit. Thais Love Thais) is a populist party in Thai politics, formed and headed by current prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. After the 2001 parliamentary elections, the party controls 248 of 438 seats in the House of Representatives and rules in a coalition with the New Aspiration Party and the Chart Thai Party, giving it a total of 342 seats and hence an absolute majority.