"Anutin Charnvirakul, a staunch royalist, has been selected as Thailand's next prime minister, after securing the backing of the majority of lawmakers in parliament. The 58-year-old tycoon turned politician is considered a conservative, though he made a name for himself for leading a campaign to decriminalise cannabis. He was voted in after a chaotic scramble by parties to gain enough support to replace the ousted PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was removed from office by a court ruling."
"A week ago, Thailand's constitutional court ousted Paetongtarn from office, saying she had violated ethical rules. That made her the fourth member of her family to be removed from office before reaching the end of her term. The ruling prompted a race between Pheu Thai and Anutin's Bhumjaithai party to fill the position. Anutin says the cannabis policy was always focused on medical use."
Anutin Charnvirakul, 58, a tycoon-turned-politician and staunch royalist, secured parliamentary majority to become Thailand's prime minister. He is considered conservative and gained prominence by leading a campaign to decriminalise cannabis. The vote followed party manoeuvres to replace Paetongtarn Shinawatra after her ouster by the constitutional court for ethical violations. Paetongtarn's father, Thaksin Shinawatra, left the country before the vote and faces a court ruling about serving his sentence. Anutin's family owns a major construction company. He served as deputy prime minister, interior minister and health minister and pushed through cannabis legalisation that critics say was rushed; he maintains the policy targeted medical use.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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