Yingluck receives royal endorsement as Thai PM

2011-08-08 11:22:49 GMT2011-08-08 19:22:49(Beijing Time) Xinhua English

BANGKOK, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- His Majesty the King endorsed the election of Yingluck Shinawatra as Thailand's 28th Prime Minister on Monday following the House Speaker's audience.

House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont had an audience with the King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Siriraj Hospital where he has been staying since September 2009 due to health problem.

Yingluck was elected as Thailand's first female prime minister with 296 lawmakers in the 500-seat lower house of parliament voting in favor on Friday.

An inaugural ceremony will be held on Monday evening at the headquarters of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

Yingluck is scheduled to give a brief speech right after the swearing-in ceremony.

Although her political experience has been questioned, the 44- year-old business woman is the youngest prime minister in the history of Thailand. As she is a younger sister of the ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, she has risen to the top post within 49 days.

She is the third prime minister from Shinawatra family after her brother Thaksin and brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat.

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