Pheu Thai’s Srettha wins PM post by large majority

After hours of debate, the former real-estate tycoon received 482 votes in the joint parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, far higher than the required 374 votes. Against votes stood at 165, while 81 parliamentarians abstained and 19 were absent.

Srettha was also successful in winning votes from as many as 152 senators, while most of those who voted against him were Move Forward MPs.

The meeting to pick the country’s new PM began at about 10am, with House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha rejecting an urgent motion put forward by Move Forward to review the rejection of Pita Limjaroenrat‘s nomination.

The refusal prompted Move Forward MP Teerajchai Phunthumas to say that the speaker is not impartial in his duties.

Wan Muhamad responded angrily, saying he was neutral and had no intentions of obstructing Move Forward while carrying out his duties lawfully. The motion was then…