NLA to vote on Thailand's interim PM Aug 21

BANGKOK, August 19 (TNA) - The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will vote for Thailand's interim prime minister on August 21. NLA President Pornpetch Wichitcholachai told reporters of the schedule on Tuesday, acknowledging that he has issued an order to include the selection of the interim prime minister on the agenda of the NLA's next convention on August 21. Pornpetch noted that the process to select the interim prime minister will be based on the present Provisional Constitution and parliamentary regulations which have been observed, in which NLA members vote openly and the interim prime minister will be selected by the majority vote. Asked whether it is possible for a member of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to become the interim prime minister, the NLA president revealed that the Interim Charter does not prohibit bureaucrats, covering the army chief, to hold a political position. The NLA president, however, declined to give any comment on the possibility of Thai Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha to take two leading positions concurrently, which are the NCPO chief and the interim prime minister. (TNA)