New Thai PM Expected in Week of Aug 18

BANGKOK, August 11 (TNA) - Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly (NLA), appointed by the military junta, is expected to select a new prime minister within August. NLA’s second vice president-elect Peerasak Porjit said on Monday that the selection of the new prime minister would follow the assembly's approval of its meeting regulations. He believed that the interim prime minister can be nominated later this month. Pending the royal command appointing the NLA president and vice presidents, the assembly is still unable to officially consider an issue, Mr Peerasak said. He expects the NLA president and vice presidents to meet on Wednesday. Then they will convene the Assembly to approve its meeting regulations on Friday. So the nomination of the next prime minister was likely during the week of August 18. “The top priorities of the NLA are the selection of the prime minister to ensure national progress and the budget of Fiscal 2015,” Mr Peerasak said. In another development, the Chart Pattana Party expressed its support for and planned participation in the National Reform Council initiated by the National Council for Peace and Council. Chart Pattana spokesman Chalitrat Chantharubeksa said his party is ready to have its say in national reform and to nominate its representatives to the selection of national reform councilors that will begin next Monday. (TNA)