Thailand's new parliament on Thursday elected Anutin Charnvirakul as prime minister, keeping the conservative in the top office after his party routed its election rivals.
The Southeast Asian nation's new government will have to handle the fallout from the Middle East war, sluggish economic growth and lingering border tensions with neighbor Cambodia.
"I hope to remain in my position to serve the people for as long as I can," Anutin told reporters ahead of the parliamentary vote.
"Those who know me understand that whenever there is a problem affecting the public, I will respond immediately to their needs," he added.
Anutin's pro-military and pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai party had its best electoral performance ever in February, after two rounds of deadly border clashes with Cambodia last year.
Bhumjaithai promised to build a wall on the Cambodian frontier, keep all border crossings closed and recruit 100,000 volunteer soldiers, winning the most seats of any party and putting Anutin in pole position to head the next government.
The third-placed Pheu Thai party of jailed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra agreed to join Anutin in a coalition alongside 14 smaller parties, and parliament anointed him yesterday.
The reformist People's Party, which had been polling first ahead of the election but ultimately came in second, will lead the opposition.
But 10 of its newly elected MPs, including the party leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, face accusations of an ethics breach over their effort to reform the royal insult law, which could see them banned from politics.
Speaking to journalists before the vote, Natthaphong, the expected opposition leader, said the opposition wanted to "utilize this parliamentary stage to effectively communicate with our fellow citizens."
