May 12, 2008
BANGKOK – Chai Chidchob was yesterday elected the speaker of parliament on Monday after Yongyuth Tiyapairat was forced to resign over alleged vote fraud.
Chai, of the pro-Thaksin People Power Party (PPP), was elected in a 283-158 vote, said deputy house speaker Somsak Kiertsuranon.
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 and 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 December election, according to AFP.
