Anutin Charnvirakul re-elected as Thailand's prime minister

ISTANBUL

Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party was re-elected as prime minister of Thailand on Thursday, according to state-run Thai PBS.

The House of Representatives re-elected Anutin, 59, after he secured support from some 293 lawmakers in the 500-seat lower house. His nearest rival received 119 votes, while 86 lawmakers abstained.

Anutin is the 32nd Prime Minister of the Southeast Asian country, as 497 lawmakers present in the parliament cast their ballots, and he needed a minimum of 249 votes to win the premier election.

In last month’s election, Anutin’s conservative Bhumjaithai Party won 193 seats, making it the largest party in the 500-member lower house, though still short of the 251 seats required to form a government independently.

The People's Party won 118 seats, while Pheu Thai, backed by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, secured 74 seats. The Democrat Party won 22 seats.

Later, the Pheu Thai Party announced its support for Anutin as the prime minister.

Anutin was elected prime minister for the first time on Sept. 5 last year.