Prayuth elected as the 29th Thai PM

[webfact]

Prayuth elected as the 29th PM
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- National Council for Peace and Order chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha was Thursday elected as the 29th prime minister of Thailand.

He got unanimous 191 votes by the National Legislative assembly. The NLA president and two vice presidents abstained. The result was officially announced at 10:53 am.

He was elected in a roll-call vote.

NLA Tuang Nanthachai nominated Prayuth and the nomination, which was made at 10:23 am, was endorsed by 188 NLA members.

No NLA member nominated other candidates to contest for the post.

The election process official started at 10:07 am when NLA President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai informed NLA members of regulations agreed by NLA whips for selecting the PM.

Pornpetch made the final quorum checking before casting vote on the PM selection and found that 194 of 197 NLA members were present in the assembly hall.

Prayuth was not in the meeting that elected him as the new premier as he joined the anniversary celebration of the 21st Infantry Regiment in Lop Buri province.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prayuth-elected-as-the-29th-PM-30241419.html


-- The Nation 2014-08-21

[webfact]

Thai army chief chosen as prime minister

BANGKOK, August 21, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's junta-picked national assembly on Thursday chose coup leader General Prayut Chan-O-Cha as prime minister in a one-horse race that entrenched the military's hold on power.

Prayut, who ousted an elected government in a bloodless coup on May 22, was backed by 191 members of the 197-strong assembly, with three abstentions and three voters absent.

No assembly member opposed the selection of the army chief, who was the sole candidate for the post.

His appointment must be approved by King Bhumibol Adulyadej although royal endorsement is seen as a formality.

The move by the top general to shed his uniform and take the premiership is seen as cementing the military's control of the politically turbulent nation.

The junta has ruled out holding new elections before around October 2015, despite appeals from the United States and the European Union for a return to democracy.

Prayut, who is due to retire as army chief in September, is seen as a staunch opponent of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose overthrow in an earlier coup in 2006 triggered Thailand's long-running political crisis.

Thaksin, the elder brother of Yingluck, fled Thailand in 2008 to avoid prison for a corruption conviction.

The army rulers say they want to reform Thailand to end years of political turbulence and street violence, but critics see the takeover as an attempt to wipe out Thaksin's influence.

The junta has vowed to remain in place in parallel with the future government, which will be nominated by Prayut as prime minister.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-08-21

[whybother]

Shouldn't it be:

Prayuth "elected" as 29th PM.

[mataleo]

why even vote?

[TVGerry]

Congrats, general!

Now it's time to clean up this country!

[webfact]

Gen Prayuth named 29th Prime Minister

BANGKOK, 21 August 2014 (NNT) – General Prayuth Chan-ocha has been named Thailand’s 29th Prime Minister after receiving a unanimous vote at the fourth National Legislative Assembly (NLA) meeting.

The legislative assembly today (August 21) convened its fourth meeting, with the selection of an interim prime minister as its main agenda.

Gen Prayuth was the only person nominated at the meeting. His name was proposed by Mr. Tuang Untachai, one of the NLA members.

Out of 194 NLA members who were present at the meeting, 191 voted to appoint Gen Prayuth as the new Premier, with 3 members abstaining from the poll. The three were NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai and two vice-presidents Surachai Liengboonlertchai and Peerasak Porchit.

His appointment will later be forwarded to HM the king for royal endorsement.


-- NNT 2014-08-21

[chooka]

So I guess he is going to retire from the Military. Can't possibly do both jobs as P.M and Chief of the Army and it is a conflict of interest. I guess the new P.M will now approve the purchase of those submarines they have been after.

[riki]

elected the wrong word

[mataleo]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/thai-army-ruler-expected-become-new-premier

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-28876154

[DiamondKing]

Calling it elected as primeminister is a gross misreprentation of the truth

[webfact]

Please contact the original source if you have issues with the headline wording

Thanks

/Admin

[mataleo]

Calling it elected as primeminister is a gross misreprentation of the truth

would that sounds better "the self-proclaimed ruler"

[NongKhaiKid]

Contact me in ICU, I'm in shock.

[slipperylobster]

Wish I could vote...he would have had 101 percent tagged. Ballots must not have been confusing as nobody checked the wrong candidate. Even a farang would have got this one right.

[webfact]

National Legislative Assembly casts 191 votes to elect Gen Prayuth as 29th Prime Minister of Thailand; NLA president, 2 vice presidents abstain /MCOT

[NongKhaiKid]

I would love to have seen what happened when ' Those Against ' was called for.

[airconsult]

Joining the other great world leaders elected by 97% or more.....

[96tehtarp]

18 coups and 29 prime ministers.

Follows is a list of Thailand's peer group of nations with governments following coups (Thailand leads the pack in terms of numbers of coups):

Abkhazia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia?, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Mauritania, Oman, Republic of the Congo Sudan, The Gambia, Uganda.

[siampolee]

mateleo post #

would that sounds better "the self-proclaimed ruler"

"the self-proclaimed ruler"

The origin of that expression was Dubai you know.

We perhaps should be be reminded that Prayuths ''election/ selection'' situation is nor was a unique one you know.

On 16 May 2011, the Pheu Thai party voted to name Yingluck as the party's top candidate under the party-list system (and presumably be the party's nominee for Prime Minister) for parliamentary election scheduled for 3 July. However, she was not made party leader and she did not join the executive board of the party. The ultimate decision was made by Thaksin. "Some said she is my nominee. That's not true. But it can be said that Yingluck is my clone... Another important thing is that Ms Yingluck is my sister and she can make decisions for me. She can say 'yes' or 'no' on my behalf," Thaksin noted in an interview.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yingluck_Shinawatra

Edited August 21, 2014 by siampolee

[iancnx]

Those of you in denial that the country has already taken the difficult turn for the better should perhaps at least bite ones tongues. Things can only get better and we should positively look forwards to new elections next year without the participation of the corrupt dinosaurs and their brethren from both sides of the political divide. ASEAN together with new elections will transform Thailand.... In the fullness of time.

[bkkgooner]

It always starts out so nicely, dictators getting shit done and not taking anymore shit from criminals.

But as always happens with every dictatorship in history the real agenda will be revealed - a restricted press, no elections, blatant corruption, disgusting nepotism, an upsurge in nationalism fueled with hatred it is all on its way and it is only a matter of time. People would be begging for the likes of the Shinawatras and Abhisits back in charge if the army were given control of Thailand for the next 10 years.

[webfact]

Thai army chief named prime minister
by Thanaporn PROMYAMYAI

BANGKOK, August 21, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's junta-picked national assembly on Thursday chose coup leader General Prayut Chan-O-Cha as prime minister in a one-horse race that entrenched the military's hold on power.

Nobody in the rubber-stamp legislature opposed the selection of the army chief, who ousted an elected government in a bloodless takeover on May 22.

The move by the top general to shed his uniform and take the premiership is seen as cementing the military's control of the politically turbulent nation.

The junta has ruled out holding new elections before around October 2015, despite appeals from the United States and the European Union for a return to democracy.

Prayut, who is due to retire as army chief in September, is seen as a staunch opponent of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose overthrow in an earlier coup in 2006 triggered Thailand's long-running political crisis.

Thaksin, the elder brother of Yingluck, fled Thailand in 2008 to avoid prison for a corruption conviction.

- Reform or repression? -

The army rulers say they want to reform Thailand to end years of political turbulence and street violence, but critics see the takeover as an attempt to wipe out Thaksin's influence.

The junta has vowed to remain in place in parallel to the future government, which will be nominated by Prayut as prime minister.

He was backed by 191 members of the 197-strong assembly, with three abstentions and three voters absent. No other candidate stood against him.

Prayut's appointment must be approved by King Bhumibol Adulyadej although royal endorsement is seen as a formality.

The army chief, who is seen as a fervent royalist, was not present for the vote because he was attending a military ceremony outside Bangkok.

He gave a hint of his political ambitions when he swapped his uniform for a suit and tie to appear in parliament on Monday to oversee the approval of the national budget, which was waved through with no opposition.

Prayut is often described as the architect of an army crackdown on a pro-Thaksin "Red Shirt" rally in Bangkok in 2010 that left dozens dead.

Before seizing power, the golf lover and father of twin daughters had said he would not allow Thailand to become another "Ukraine or Egypt".

Thaksin, who is reviled by much of Thailand's Bangkok-based royalist elite, lives in Dubai but he or his parties have won every election since 2001.

Since seizing power the junta has abrogated the constitution, curtailed civil liberties under martial law and summoned hundreds of opponents, activists and academics for questioning.

He has also launched a "return happiness" to the people public relations campaign in parallel with the crackdown on dissent.

The United Nations' human rights office on Wednesday warned of "chilling effects" on freedom of expression under the junta, following recent arrests and jail sentences for insulting the monarchy.

Critics say the royal slur legislation has been politicised, noting that many of those charged in recent years were linked to the "Red Shirts", who are broadly supportive of Thaksin.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-08-21

[than]

Congratulation General !!!!

Cleaning of the country continue !!!!!!

[nojoma]

_{knock me over with a feather}

[monk213]

Calling it elected as primeminister is a gross misreprentation of the truth

would that sounds better "the self-proclaimed ruler"

That is pretty much what the correspondent said on Aljazeera earlier and it isn't far from the truth is it

[96tehtarp]

Those of you in denial that the country has already taken the difficult turn for the better should perhaps at least bite ones tongues. Things can only get better and we should positively look forwards to new elections next year without the participation of the corrupt dinosaurs and their brethren from both sides of the political divide. ASEAN together with new elections will transform Thailand.... In the fullness of time.

"the country has already taken the difficult turn for the better"

...only time will tell.

After 18 coups and 29 PMs I am very skeptical of anyone who posits:"But, this one is different".

[brewsterbudgen]

What a depressing day.

[Ridercnx808]

Time for all the stupid farang remarks to come flying out.

[webfact]

Thailand Junta Leader Voted Prime Minister
— Reuters

BANGKOK: -- Thai junta leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha was elected prime minister in parliament on Thursday in a move that has been widely expected since he seized power in May.

Prayuth has won at least half the votes, the required number needed to secure his nomination, a live television broadcast of the parliamentary session showed. The 60-year-old was the only person nominated. His appointment will need to be formally approved by Thailand's king.

The military says it took power on May 22 to avoid further bloodshed and restore stability after months of unrest pitting supporters of ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra against her Bangkok-based royalist opponents.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/thailand-junta-leader-voted-prime-minister-n185611

-- NBC News 2014-08-21

[billd766]

There seem to be a lot of gloom and doom merchants out early today along with many naysayers.