Thailand PM to remain in power after Parliament polls

Thailand’s incumbent Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul won a vote in Parliament on Thursday to remain in office, according to an official tally.

The leader of the Bhumjaithai Party garnered 293 votes, exceeding the required majority of the 498 members who attended the session in the House of Representatives.

Anutin is expected to take office a few days after obtaining a formal appointment from King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the new cabinet is expected to be appointed in the following weeks.

Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party won 191 seats in February’s general election, according to official results, and has since built a coalition with several other parties to form a governing majority. Among those partners is the populist Pheu Thai Party, which placed third with 74 seats. The progressive People’s Party, which finished second with 120 seats, has said it will not join the Bhumjaithai-led Government. Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut received 119 votes after being nominated in what the party said was only a symbolic contest. Anutin and Natthaphong were among the 86 lawmakers who abstained from voting Thursday.

Anutin, 59, became prime minister only in September after serving in the Cabinet of his immediate predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was forced out of office for an ethics violation regarding mishandling relations with Cambodia.