After 12 hours of parliamentary debate, a majority of the combined House of Representatives and Senate voted 500-244 to appoint Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as Prime Minister of Thailand. 3 MPs abstained.
The result is not unexpected. 249 out of 250 unelected senators voted for Prayut Chan-o-cha. The only abstention was Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, Speaker of the Senate and Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
MPs in the House of Representatives voted 251-244 for Prayut Chan-o-cha. Chuan Leekpai, the House Speaker, abstained. 6 MPs of the New Economics Party stayed with the democratic bloc despite rumours. The only unexpected defection in the House of Representatives was Siripong Angkasakulkiat of the Bhumjaithai Party who abstained despite his party's agreement with the Prayut coalition.
The House of Representatives currently has a total number of 497 MPs who can vote. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has been suspended by the Constitutional Court, Abhisit Vejjajiva resigned as an MP just before the debate and after the Democrat Party joined Prayut's coalition, and another Future Forward MP took sick leave.
#RIPThailand topped twitter trending in Thailand after Prayut's grip on power was extended.
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