Bangkok: Retired army commander General Surayud Chulanont was sworn in Sunday as interim prime minister following the announcement of a temporary constitution that reserved considerable powers for Thailand's military coup makers.
The announcement, following his endorsement by the country's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was widely expected. The cabinet is expected to be announced later this week.
Surayud told reporters on Sunday that his priorities would be tackling the ongoing Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand and bringing unity to a country divided by the policies of his ousted predecessor, Thaksin Shinawatra.
''It was injustice that caused problems in politics and the south,'' Surayud said referring to Thaksin regime and the Muslim insurgency. ''I urge everybody to help solve the two problems and unity is needed to deal with them.''
Surayud, who spent 40 years in the military, is seen as someone who could help stabilize the political situation following the September 19 coup.
''General Surayud has been trusted to become a new prime minister,'' said coup leader General Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, reading from a royal command. ''The king has appointed him to administer the country from now on.''
Sondhi has said the new prime minister and government will run the country, and fresh elections are expected to be held as early as October 2007.
Surayud, 63, accompanied by his wife, stood at attention in a white military uniform alongside six other coup leaders at Government House in the Thai Koo Fa building. A wall-sized portrait of the king was hung on the wall.
During his military career, Surayud earned praise for his deft handling of the sensitive border with embattled Cambodia during the 1980s.
Upon his appointment as army commander, he engineered a major restructuring of the military, increasing professionalism and keeping officers out of politics.
Comments
0 comment