ID :
19992
Wed, 09/17/2008 - 14:55
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/19992
The shortlink copeid
SOMCHAI IS THAILAND'S 26TH PRIME MINISTER By D.Arul Rajoo
BANGKOK, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- Somchai Wongsawat, a former judge and the brother-in-law of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was Wednesday elected the 26th prime minister of Thailand, and the fourth in three years.
The acting Prime Minister and Education Minister secured 298 votes to edge
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva who received 163 votes during voting in
Parliament, while five abstained. The Lower House of Representatives has 480
seats.
House Speaker Chai Chidchob then proclaimed Somchai, who was nominated by
the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and supported by five other parties in the
coalition government, as the new prime minister.
The 61-year-old Somchai succeeded Samak Sundaravej, who warmed the seat for
merely seven months before he was disqualified by the Constitution Court for
violating the Constitution by hosting the "Tasting and Grumbling" and "All Set
at 6am" cooking programme while still in office.
Samak tried to make a comeback but was snubbed by his own party lawmakers,
forcing the Friday Parliament session to be postponed due to lack of quorom.
Samak was absent during the voting Wednesday.
"Thank you to all the members of parliament who came to elect the Prime
Minister today and thank you to all who select me and gave me the trust to
become the 26th prime minister of Thailand. I will do my best," Somchai said in
his brief speech, as hundreds of pro-government supporters chanted his name
outside the parliament building.
It was a smooth passage for Somchai today after days of wrangling within
the
PPP as 73 members of parliament from the northeast, who had initially backed
Samak, opted for secretary-general and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee.
PPP and its coalition patners have about 300 MPs.
The group pledged their alliance to Somchai Tuesday after days of
negotiations and appeal from Thaksin, considered the real power behind PPP
despite living in exile in London.
Somchai, married to Thaksin's younger sister, Yaowapa, is a law graduate
from Thammasat University and holds a masters degree in Public Administration
from the National Institute of Development.
He was the Justice Ministry's permanent secretary during the Sept 19, 2006
coup that ousted Thaksin. The soft-spoken Somchai quit his post and made his
Cabinet debut when PPP won the Dec 23, 2007 election.
His elevation to the country's top political post came just minutes before
the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders began
delivering its judgment in the Bt772-million Ratchadaphisek land case involving
Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman.
With the country in deep political crisis, Somchai is facing the arduous
task of uniting the equally divided society and restoring foreign investor
confidence. His family ties with Thaksin is making his job even more difficult.
Thailand has been in political turmoil since Aug 26 when thousands of
anti-government protesters under the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
seized the Prime Minister's Office at the Government House.
Unlike his predecessor who started work at the Prime Minister's Office and
left without one in his last days in office, Somchai will not get the
opportunity to warm the seat as PAD remained in the Government House, forcing
the new premier to run the country from a makeshift office at the Don Mueng
Airport.
The acting Prime Minister and Education Minister secured 298 votes to edge
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva who received 163 votes during voting in
Parliament, while five abstained. The Lower House of Representatives has 480
seats.
House Speaker Chai Chidchob then proclaimed Somchai, who was nominated by
the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and supported by five other parties in the
coalition government, as the new prime minister.
The 61-year-old Somchai succeeded Samak Sundaravej, who warmed the seat for
merely seven months before he was disqualified by the Constitution Court for
violating the Constitution by hosting the "Tasting and Grumbling" and "All Set
at 6am" cooking programme while still in office.
Samak tried to make a comeback but was snubbed by his own party lawmakers,
forcing the Friday Parliament session to be postponed due to lack of quorom.
Samak was absent during the voting Wednesday.
"Thank you to all the members of parliament who came to elect the Prime
Minister today and thank you to all who select me and gave me the trust to
become the 26th prime minister of Thailand. I will do my best," Somchai said in
his brief speech, as hundreds of pro-government supporters chanted his name
outside the parliament building.
It was a smooth passage for Somchai today after days of wrangling within
the
PPP as 73 members of parliament from the northeast, who had initially backed
Samak, opted for secretary-general and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee.
PPP and its coalition patners have about 300 MPs.
The group pledged their alliance to Somchai Tuesday after days of
negotiations and appeal from Thaksin, considered the real power behind PPP
despite living in exile in London.
Somchai, married to Thaksin's younger sister, Yaowapa, is a law graduate
from Thammasat University and holds a masters degree in Public Administration
from the National Institute of Development.
He was the Justice Ministry's permanent secretary during the Sept 19, 2006
coup that ousted Thaksin. The soft-spoken Somchai quit his post and made his
Cabinet debut when PPP won the Dec 23, 2007 election.
His elevation to the country's top political post came just minutes before
the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders began
delivering its judgment in the Bt772-million Ratchadaphisek land case involving
Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman.
With the country in deep political crisis, Somchai is facing the arduous
task of uniting the equally divided society and restoring foreign investor
confidence. His family ties with Thaksin is making his job even more difficult.
Thailand has been in political turmoil since Aug 26 when thousands of
anti-government protesters under the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
seized the Prime Minister's Office at the Government House.
Unlike his predecessor who started work at the Prime Minister's Office and
left without one in his last days in office, Somchai will not get the
opportunity to warm the seat as PAD remained in the Government House, forcing
the new premier to run the country from a makeshift office at the Don Mueng
Airport.
