BANGKOK, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Democrat Party on Wednesday voted Jurin Laksanawisit as its new leader.
A total of 291 Democrat Party members, including current MPs, former MPs and members of the party's executive board, cast their vote among four candidates, namely Phiraphan Salirathaviphak, Korn Chatikavanij, Apirak Kosayodhin and Jurin.
Jurin won the top leadership of the country's oldest party with 50.59 percent, followed by Phiraphan with 37.21 percent, Korn 8.48 percent and Apirak 3.69 percent.
Jurin is a veteran lawmaker who has assumed varied ministerial seats, including a former education minister, former public health minister and former minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office in the times of former Prime Ministers Chuan Leekpai and Abhisit Vejjajiva. He has replaced Abhisit, who conceded defeat in the March 24 election and consequently resigned.
It remains to be seen if the Democrat Party, which currently has 52 MPs, might join alliance with the Palang Pracharath (power of people's state) Party in sustained bid to name Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as head of a post-election government.
