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Thai king endorses coup leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minister | Thai king endorses coup leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minister |
(35 minutes later) | |
The king of Thailand has officially endorsed the army chief and coup leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minister, three months after the military leader took control of the nation in a bloodless coup. | |
The approval on Monday – a mere formality from the ageing King Bhumibol Adulyadej – follows Prayuth's appointment last week by the military-majority national assembly, who voted in the sole candidate unanimously. | |
Dressed in a while military uniform and flanked by officers, Prayuth said: "I consider this the highest honour of my life," and added: "I am ready to get tired." | Dressed in a while military uniform and flanked by officers, Prayuth said: "I consider this the highest honour of my life," and added: "I am ready to get tired." |
The royal endorsement will allow Prayuth – who is due to stand down as army chief next month – to establish an interim government until elections are held some time in late 2015. He is expected to form a new cabinet by October and described his priorities as preparing the country for national reform and establishing prosperity, according to media reports. | |
"Our country has accumulated many problems … which need to be urgently solved," he said. "To do this we must not create future problems." | "Our country has accumulated many problems … which need to be urgently solved," he said. "To do this we must not create future problems." |
Prayuth, 60, is the first coup leader to serve as prime minister in nearly 60 years and his appointment was condemned by opponents. | |
The ruling junta, named the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has also come under fire both at home and abroad for cracking down on dissidents; detaining politicians, journalists, critics and activists; shutting down newspapers, radio and TV stations; imposing martial law; and handpicking a military-dominated parliament that now has more officers in it than Burma's. | |
In a statement, the overseas-based Organisation of Free Thais for Human Rights and Democracy described Prayuth's appointment as "a political farce and in violation of the rule of law". Prayuth himself has promised a "Thai-style" democracy and has staged various "happiness festivals" around the capital Bangkok in order to "bring happiness back to the Thai people". | |
Prayuth seized control on 22 May after six months of sometimes bloody protests that left the nation in legislative paralysis and saw 28 people killed and over 700 injured. | |
The coup removed the democratically elected PM, Yingluck Shinawatra, from office eight years after her brother Thaksin was also removed from his post as prime minister – in yet another coup that also involved Prayuth. |
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