Thailand gets its new PM – Abhisit Vejjajiva

Thailand’s parliament on Monday elected Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as the country’s new Prime Minister ending a protracted political turmoil that made the previous PM, Somchai Wongsowat, resign.

Official results showed Abhisit gained 235 votes from the total 437 incumbent members of parliament in the House of Representatives, against the 198 votes for his rival — Puea Thai Party leader Pracha Promnok, during the special parliamentary session that kicked off 9.30 am on Monday.

The vote comes after months of demonstrations that culminated late November with a weeklong takeover of Bangkok’s two airports.

Protest erupted again as hundreds of pro-Thaksin supporters attempted to block the Parliament building Monday. After a fiery speech, a protest leader called on demonstrators to block the gates of the building and not let the MPs out. Police locked the doors from inside the building.

Abhisit has a massive task ahead of him to reunite the country as well as restore international confidence in the country while fighting the growing economic crisis, with Thailand on the brink of recession.