Thai parliament confirms right-wing tycoon as PM
BANGKOK
Veteran Thai politician Anutin Charnvirakul won a vote in Parliament on Sept. 5 to become the country’s next prime minister, according to an unofficial running tally broadcast live on television.
Anutin, leader of the Bhumjaithai party, won a total of 311 votes, far exceeding the 247 required majority from the House of Representative’s 492 active members. He and his government are expected to take office in a few days after obtaining a formal appointment from King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Anutin succeeds Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was dismissed by court order as prime minister last week after being found guilty of ethics violations over a politically compromising phone call with neighboring Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen.
The dispute erupted into a deadly five-day armed conflict in July.
Anutin, who's an elected member of the house, got up from his seat and walked around the chamber to take pictures with other lawmakers when he was a few votes short from the winning total. He and well-wishers exchanged the traditional Thai greeting of wai, with both hands clasped together.
After the House Speaker announced the total tally, a round of applause erupted as he thanked lawmakers around him.
Anutin had served in Paetongtarn’s Cabinet, but he resigned his position and withdrew his party from her coalition government after news of the leaked phone call caused a public uproar.
