Thai parliament elects new prime minister

BANGKOK — Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the opposition Bhumjaithai Party, was elected as Thailand's new prime minister on Friday after winning a majority in a parliamentary vote.

Anutin beat his sole contender, nominated by the ruling Pheu Thai Party, Chaikasem Nitisiri, to lead the next government, following a court ruling last week that removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from her premiership over an ethics breach.

Anutin led from the start and won 63 percent of the votes, doubling the tally of Chaikasem.

After a one-hour roll call vote, Second Deputy House Speaker Chalad Khamchuang announced that Anutin received 311 votes in favor from the 490 members present in the House of Representatives, exceeding the simple majority required for approval.

A phalanx of media surrounded him as he left the chamber, his aides fending off a crowd of journalists who jostled and shouted while he slowly made his way to a waiting car.

"I will work my hardest, every day, no holidays, because there is not a lot of time," Anutin said, his face lit up by bursts of camera flashes. "We have to ease problems quickly."

China expressed congratulations on Friday to Anutin on his election, saying it stands ready to work with Thailand to strengthen strategic communication and deepen practical cooperation.

The remarks were made in an online statement issued by the foreign ministry.

China and Thailand are close friends and neighbors, and the two countries, like one family, are as close as ever, a foreign ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Traditional friendship

Beijing is willing to work with Bangkok to carry forward the traditional friendship, achieve greater progress in the building of the China-Thailand community with a shared future, and contribute to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region, according to the statement.

Anutin is awaiting formal endorsement by Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn to become the 32nd prime minister of the Southeast Asian country.

Anutin's victory resulted from pact with the progressive opposition People's Party, the largest force in parliament, which he persuaded with promises to hold a referendum on amending the constitution and call an election within four months.

Anutin will lead a minority government, which People's Party will not join, and take the helm of a country with an economy struggling from weak consumption, tight lending and soaring levels of household debt.

The Pheu Thai Party said on Friday it would return to power to deliver on its agenda, after its candidate lost a parliamentary vote for prime minister.

"On all the pending policies, we will return to finish the job for all the Thai people," it said in a statement on social media, adding it was ready to be in the parliamentary opposition.

Pheu Thai Party's crisis was triggered in June by Anutin's withdrawal from its alliance, which left the coalition government clinging to power with a razor-thin majority amid protests and plummeting popularity.

The hammer blow was last week's dismissal by a court of Thaksin Shinawatra's daughter, Paetongtarn.

Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled to dismiss Paetongtarn from office on Friday, after finding her guilty of violating the constitution during a controversial leaked phone call between her and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen.

Zhou Jin in Beijing contributed to this story.

Agencies—Xinhua