New Thai Senate speaker elected

BANGKOK, August 14 (TNA) - Nikom Wairatpanich now becomes Thailand's new Senate Speaker after two rounds of secret voting on Tuesday, promising to adhere to the rule of laws in performing his new duty. Nikom was elected at a Senate convention, succeeding former Senate speaker General Teeradej Meepian, who was dismissed from the post after the Criminal Court recently sentenced him to a two-year suspended imprisonment for wrongfully raising monthly meeting allowances for himself while he was chief ombudsman in 2004. Nikom told journalists after winning the election that he would strictly impose Senate regulations to ensure the efficiency of Senate sessions. The newly-elected Senate Speaker said that the Thai Upper House, under his tenure, would not cause any political conflict and its responses to impeachments and consideration of laws would comply with legal principles (TNA)