With the king’s approval, Thailand’s new prime minister assumed office on Wednesday. He leads a divisive coalition that includes pro-military groups connected to previous coup plotters.
The selection of former real estate magnate Srettha Thavisin, a member of the Pheu Thai party long linked to ex-premier and billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, puts an end to months of political impasse following the general election in May.
Just hours after Thaksin returned to the kingdom from exile after 15 years and was imprisoned on the basis of old graft accusations, the 61-year-old was affirmed by a vote of the parliament on Tuesday.
Srettha is expected to announce his cabinet in the following days after receiving King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s written order to form a government in a ceremony at Pheu Thai headquarters at 6:00 pm (1100 GMT).
Former army head and coup leader Prayut Chan-o-cha, who deposed the previous Pheu Thai administration, thanked Srettha and wished him luck.
In May’s elections, Prayut was soundly defeated as the newly formed progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) rode a wave of urban and youthful resentment over nearly ten years of military-backed government to gain the most seats.
Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the MFP, was prevented from becoming prime minister as a result of the group’s efforts to change the laws governing royal insult and to challenge strong vested commercial interests.
This opened the way for election runners-up Pheu Thai to build a coalition that includes Prayut’s party and another linked to the generals who ousted Thaksin in 2006 and his sister Yingluck in 2014.
