PUBLISHED : 24 Aug 2023 at 13:04
Newly appointed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met with his predecessor Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House on Thursday to seek advice.
Mr Srettha of the Pheu Thai Party arrived at Government House in a black Toyota Alphard at around 11.05am to pay a courtesy call on Gen Prayut. This came after the former property tycoon received a royal endorsement to become the country’s 30th prime minister on Wednesday.
The new premier was escorted by Pol Col Wathanyu Watcharapalothai, a former police guard of fugitive former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, according to a source.
Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, leader of the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party and secretary-general to the outgoing premier, was also present during the meeting.
The meeting was expected to last about 40 to 45 minutes, added the source.
Newly appointed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin arrives at Government House on Thursday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)
On Tuesday, the joint sitting of the House and the Senate elected the 61-year-old property developer-turned-politician as the new prime minister with 482 votes for, 165 votes against and 81 abstentions.
Almost all of the votes against Mr Srettha came from the Move Forward Party (MFP), which won the May 14 general election but could not get its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, approved.
While Mr Srettha was never known to be overtly political, he has long been a confidant of both Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra, both former prime ministers and influential figures of Pheu Thai.
However, Mr Srettha was outspoken in his condemnation of the anti-government movement led by Suthep Thaugsuban and the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) against the Yingluck administration.
After the 2014 military coup by Gen Prayut, he was among dozens of prominent figures ordered to report in person for “attitude adjustment”.
Newly appointed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin gives a waร to his predecessor Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, 69, at Government House. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)