Srettha Thavisin, the prime ministerial candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, has become the 30th Prime Minister of Thailand. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Bangkok– The Thai parliament on August 22 afternoon elected Srettha Thavisin, the prime ministerial candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, to be the 30th Prime Minister of Thailand.

On August 22 morning, the Thai parliament resumed a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate to elect a new prime minister, the third attempt by the parliament to elect a new prime minister since the general election more than three months ago.

At the session, Pheu Thai Party leader Cholnan Srikaew nominated Srettha, one of the three prime ministerial candidates that the party registered with the Election Commission of Thailand for the parliamental vote.

As there was no other candidates to be nominated, Speaker of the Thai National Assembly Wan Muhamad Noor Matha announced Srettha the only candidate.

After five hours of discussion, 703 Thai lawmakers voted to elect a new prime minister for Thailand. According to AFP news agency, Srettha had surpassed 375 votes needed to be elected as Thailand's 30th prime minister. Notably, he received 150 votes in favour from the Senate.

Srettha, born in 1961, among Pheu Thai leaders, played an important role during the election campaign in the run-up to the May 14 general election.

He will join the 11-party coalition led by the Pheu Thai Party to start forming a new government.