Thailand's Anutin seeks new mandate as parliament votes on prime minister

Thailand's Anutin Charnvirakul will seek to be elected back to power on Thursday in a parliamentary vote on a prime minister that could usher in a rare period of stability for a country long plagued by political drama and turmoil.



In a stunning turnaround in fortunes for a party that had struggled to make its mark in Thai politics, Anutin's Bhumjaithai sprang a surprise with a decisive victory in February's election after capitalising on a wave of nationalism arising out of military conflicts with Cambodia last year.



Much of Anutin's success comes from his opportunism in seizing on the decline of the once dominant Pheu Thai party, first by abandoning its coalition government then manoeuvring swiftly to form his own after a court sacked a second prime minister in the space of just over a year.



After the February election, Bhumjaithai has made a pact with the politically bruised Pheu Thai and teamed up with a motley crew of small parties for an alliance that would control 292 of the current 499 seats in parliament.



"The government coalition is ready to perform its duty in the legislature and executive smoothly to bring prosperity to the country," Anutin told a press conference in parliament before the session started.