New Thai prime minister is country’s third in two years

Thailand’s parliament on Friday chose Anutin Charnvirakul to serve as prime minister, according to reports from Thailand-based English-language media. Anutin leads the minority Bhumjaithai Party and agreed to dissolve Parliament within four months in an effort to gain support from the People’s Party. The more progressive party backed Anutin after he agreed to organize a referendum to draft a new constitution.

His installation as leader comes one week after lawmakers voted to oust former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after a court found that she prioritized personal interests over national security. The ruling stemmed from a phone call Shinawatra had with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen amid heightened tensions earlier this year along the Thailand-Cambodia border. She was the fifth prime minister Thai lawmakers have pushed out since 2008.

Who is Anutin? The politician has previously served as the interior minister and the health minister in the Thai government. He has been in politics for nearly three decades and also worked as the president of Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Public Co., Ltd, from 1995 to 2004. His father, Chai Charnvirakul, founded the company.

Dig deeper:Read my report about Shinawatra being ousted.