Thailand gets new Prime Minister June 5

Thailand is scheduled to pick a new prime minister on June 5, Chuan Leekpai, speaker of the House of Representatives, said on Friday.

“All MPs and senators will convene in a joint House of Representatives & Senate meeting to vote for the prime minister,’’ Chuan said at a press conference.

The voting will be openly conducted on a roll call basis.

Earlier, Thailand’s Royal Gazette website issued two Royal Announcements, saying King Maha Vajiralongkorn has formally approved the naming of a House Speaker, two Deputy House Speakers, a Senate Speaker and two Deputy Senate Speakers.

Both houses held ceremony to accept the announcements.

Given royal approval, former Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai of the Democrat Party has been named House speaker while Suchart Tancharoen of the Palang Pracharath Party and Supachai Phosu of the Bhumjaithai Party have been named first and second deputy House speakers respectively.

In his capacity as House speaker, Chuan concurrently assumes the post of parliament president.

Former National Legislative Assembly President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai has been appointed under royal approval as Senate speaker while Singsuek Singphrai and Supachai Somcharoen have been appointed first and second deputy Senate speakers respectively.

In his capacity as Senate speaker, Pornpetch concurrently assumed the post of deputy parliament president.