Bloomberg notes that Thailand’s Parliament is set to open today, with prime minister to-be Yingluck Shinawatra ready to take the helm.
Thailand’s Parliament will open today for the first time since Yingluck Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai party won a majority last month, paving the way for lawmakers to select her as the country’s first female prime minister.
The Election Commission has certified all but four of 500 winning candidates in the July 3 vote, discarding complaints aiming to thwart the sister of exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra from taking power. Court rulings and a coup have overturned three previous Thaksin election wins since 2005.
“They won a landslide so it will be easier to manage the country,” said Suwat Bumrungchartudom, an analyst at Bangkok- based Bualuang Securities Pcl. “The coalition is quite solid. The question now is whether they can follow through on their commitments before the election.”
The Bangkok Post says Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will preside over the proceedings:
Pheu Thai Party is to unveil its choice of the new house speaker today as the lower house convenes for its official opening this afternoon following the July 3 general election.
The formal house opening will be held at the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall in a royal ceremony to be presided over by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn on behalf of His Majesty the King.
(Emphasis mine.)
Update: 7:15 p.m. Bangkok time: The Bangkok Post says the Parliament is now open. The story includes some photos.
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn on Monday presided over the opening of parliament, allowing the House of Representatives to convene its first meeting tomorrow.