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BANGKOK, THAILAND - THE father of a close ally to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra was elected the speaker of parliament on Monday, after the previous house leader was forced to resign over alleged vote fraud.
Mr Chai Chidchob, of the pro-Thaksin People Power Party (PPP), was elected in a 283-158 vote, said deputy house speaker Somsak Kiertsuranon.
Mr Chai, 80, is the father of Newin Chidchob, who helped mastermind Thaksin's electoral strategy in rural Thailand to win the hearts of poor farmers through populist schemes aimed at boosting their incomes.
The previous speaker, Thaksin confidante Yongyut Tiyapairat, survived less than three months in the job.
He has been slapped with vote fraud charges accusing him of bribing local officials in northern Thailand to campaign for his party in elections in December.
With Mr Newin, Yongyut was also key in building Thaksin's support in rural areas, particularly among poor farmers whose support helped propel the PPP to victory in December.
Mr Thaksin was ousted by royalist generals in a coup in September 2006, but his allies regrouped in the PPP and won elections that restored democracy. -- AFP
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