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New Thai PM appeals to public for reconciliation

An anti-government protester, center, holds her head during a demonstration at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

A brother-in-law of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was elected Thai prime minister by parliament yesterday, but faced immediate opposition from protesters who vowed to force him from office.

Somchai Wongsawat, 61, called for reconciliation with protesters who have occupied the prime minister’s offices for the last three weeks to topple the government.

His predecessor, Samak Sundaravej, was removed from the post last week by a court that found he was illegally paid for hosting TV cooking shows.

Somchai, who is married to Thaksin’s politically powerful sister Yaowapa, will not take office until he is endorsed by Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a process that could take several days.

“It’s undeniable who my relatives are, but I will do things the right way, to show my sincerity in trying to solve our problems,” Somchai told reporters after winning 298 votes in the 480-seat parliament.

“It’s about time for national reconciliation in Thailand,” he said.

“In the past we have had so many conflicts, but I personally don’t harbor any anger or hatred against anybody,” he said.

The parliamentary vote came almost exactly two years after Thaksin was toppled by the military following months of rallies by the same anti-government activists, known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

PAD quickly vowed to press ahead with their campaign to force Somchai and his entire People Power Party (PPP) out of government, with the ultimate goal of curtailing democracy in Thailand.

“We all know that he is Thaksin’s brother-in-law,” said Somsak Kosaisuk, a key PAD leader. “He is not only a nominee for Thaksin. He has direct relations. How can people accept this?”

Somchai was a respected career bureaucrat and former judge before entering public life. His wife Yaowapa was banned from politics following the coup against Thaksin.

Somchai was made a deputy PPP leader after winning a parliamentary seat, along with his daughter, in elections in December. He only became a prime ministerial candidate after Samak was removed from office last week.

The PPP leadership tried to return Samak to office in a parliamentary vote on Friday, but critics in the party boycotted the session.

Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva urged Somchai to step out of Thaksin’s shadow and hold urgent talks with the anti-government protesters.

“The new prime minister must clearly show how he is going to ease the situation. He must work to erase any doubts,” Abhisit said.

The protesters accuse the ruling party of acting as a proxy for Thaksin, whom they accuse of widespread corruption.

They want to prevent Thaksin’s allies from winning power in elections by calling for a parliament where 70 percent of the seats would be appointed.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court yesterday issued a third arrest warrant against Thaksin, ordering him to appear before the judges to hear their verdict in a land scandal.

Thaksin and his family have fled to Britain but maintain their innocence, claiming the charges are politically motivated.
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