Thai Parliament convenes for vote likely to keep Prayuth PM
Posted June 05, 2019 7:00 am
BANGKOK (AP) - Thailand's Parliament has convened for a vote that is expected to keep Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minister five years after he seized power by military coup.
The military-backed party that nominated Prayuth won the second-highest number of seats in the House of Representatives in the March general election.
His election is virtually assured because the prime minister is chosen in a joint vote of the 500-seat House and the 250-seat Senate, whose members were appointed by the junta Prayuth leads.
He had the support of the military-backed Palang Pracharath party, which holds 116 House seats, as well as lawmakers from smaller parties, before the vote Wednesday.
Members of the parliament representing military-backed Palang Pracharath party raise their hands approving the nomination of Prayuth Chan-ocha as Thailand's Prime Minister during a session to vote for a new of Prime Minister in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, June 5, 2019.(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
The Associated Press
Members of the parliament representing military-backed Palang Pracharath party raise their hands approving the nomination of coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha as Thailand's prime minister in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Thailand's Parliament has elected Prayuth who seized power in a 2014 military coup, to stay on as prime minister. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
The Associated Press
Former leader of Thailand's Democratic Party Abhisit Vejjajiva arrives to participate in the session in the parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who took power in a military coup five years ago, appears set to win a parliamentary vote scheduled for Wednesday that would give him a second term in office.(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
The Associated Press
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, center, sits before his speech for the opening ceremony of Anti-Human Trafficking Day in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who took power in a military coup five years ago, appears set to win a parliamentary vote scheduled for Wednesday that would give him a second term in office. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
The Associated Press
Thailand's Democratic Party leader Jurin Laksanawisit arrives to participate in the session of the parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. The Democrat Party, the country's oldest, announced Tuesday that it will vote to join a coalition government led by Prayuth Chan-ocha, candidate of the military-backed Palang Pracharath party.(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
The Associated Press
Watanya Wongopasi, member of the parliament representing military-backed Palang Pracharath party arrives to participate in the session of the parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Thailand's prime minister, who took power in a military coup five years ago, appears set to win a parliamentary vote scheduled for Wednesday that would give him a second term in office.(AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)
The Associated Press
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