Thailand’s new PM Srettha took office on Wednesday (Aug 23) with the endorsement of the king, heading a controversial coalition including pro-military parties linked to former coup-makers.
He confirmed by parliamentary vote on Tuesday, just hours after Thaksin returned to the kingdom from 15 years of exile and immediately jailed on old graft cases.
PM Srettha received King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s written command to form a government in a ceremony at Pheu Thai headquarters at 6pm local time (11am GMT), and is likely to announce his Cabinet in the coming days.
In a national televised address after his endorsement, Srettha pledged to bring unity to the country and promote policies that would solve crises and move the country forward.
He also pledged to promote inclusiveness and govern for the benefit of all Thais, promising a new era of change
This opened the way for election runners-up Pheu Thai to build a coalition that includes Prayut’s party and another linked to the generals who ousted Thaksin in 2006 and his sister Yingluck in 2014.