Yingluck Shinwatra elected as new Thai PM
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail
China.org.cn, August 5, 2011
Thailand's parliament formally elected Yingluck Shinawatra, fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's sister, as the country's 28th prime minister on Friday.
 |
|
Yingluck waves to the people when elected to be the new Thai prime minister. Yingluck Shinwatra, sister of theThailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was elected by the House of Representatives to beThailand's 28th Prime Minister on Aug. 5, 2011. [Xinhua/ Reuters Photo] |
It signals the start of a new but potentially rocky era in the Southeast Asian nation's long-running political drama, the Wall Street Journal said.
Almost 60 percent or 296 of all 500 lawmakers voted in favor of Yingluck to be Thailand's first female top leader.
Before adjourning the House meeting, Thailand's House speaker Somsak Kietsuranon said "based on the vote result, Yingluck Shinawatra received more than half of the House seats in favor, making her the (new) prime minister."
Since Yingluck was the only candidate, lawmakers were asked to vote "in favor", "against" or "abstain", Xinhua reported.
The second-largest and former ruling Democrat Party has made resolution for its lawmakers to abstain from voting.
Among 197 legislators who abstained were Yingluck herself, the House speaker and his two deputies, but mostly from opposition parties including Democrat Party, Bhumjai Thai and Rak Thailand.
Pheu Thai Party led by Yingluck won 265 seats in the general election on July 3.
Royal endorsement of her appointment is still to follow, but is expected to be a formality, the WSJ said.
Yingluck, 44, is the youngest Thai prime minister and leads the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai Party. The stronghold of the party is in the rural north and northeastern provinces, where Thaksin won grassroot people's hearts with various popular policies during his rule in 2001-2006, according to Xinhua.
Thaksin was ousted by elite-back military coup in September 2006, resulting in a great rift in the Thai society and political unrest.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)