International News

Veteran politician takes over in Thailand

BANGKOK -- Veteran Thai politician Anutin Charnvirakul was elected prime minister on Friday after winning a parliamentary vote, according to an official tally.

The 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, 58, 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.

A border dispute between the two nations 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.

Anutin told reporters as he exited Parliament to visit his father in a hospital that he would work hard to solve the country’s problems.

“I intend to work with my full capability,” he said. “I must work everyday and make the most out of it, with no day off.”

Videos published by Thai media showed Anutin laughing as he hugged his father who said he was “very happy to see this day.”

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.

Pheu Thai, currently leading a caretaker government, sought to dissolve Parliament on Tuesday, but its request was rejected by the king’s Privy Council. The party’s nominee for prime minister, Chaikasem Nitisiri, received 152 votes.