Thai junta chief selected as interim PM

Thailand's newly appointed Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha reviews honor guards during his visit at the 2nd Infantry Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, Queen's Guard in Chonburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok August 21, 2014.  [Photo/Agencies]

BANGKOK - Thailand's National Legislative Assembly (NLA), or the post-coup interim legislature, on Thursday selected junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha as the interim prime minister, the 29th PM of the country.

A total of 194 NLA members were present, with 191 of them voting for the sole candidate Prayuth and the other three, including the NLA president and two deputies, choosing to abstain.

The result will be forwarded to the king for endorsement.

Prayuth, who was absent from the voting, was selected in a roll- call vote. He was reportedly outside capital Bangkok for attending activities marking the founding of the 21st Infantry Regiment Queen's Guard.

The new PM will select up to 35 cabinet members and an interim government is expected to start operation in September.

Such a result did not come as a surprise as it has long been widely speculated that Prayuth will double as the provisional premier.

A survey, which was released a month after the army chief staged the May 22 coup to depose the civilian government, showed that a considerable portion of randomly-chosen respondents proposed Prayuth be the new premier.

In addition to members of the National Council for Peace and Order, the official name of the junta, prominent political figures like Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Chartthaipattana Party chief adviser Banharn Silpa-archa also voiced support for Prayuth to assume the PM post.