Thai lawmakers elect junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha as PM

Thailand's junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha was elected late Wednesday as the kingdom's first civilian prime minister since the 2014 coup he led, in a vote by a parliament stacked with appointed allies of the conservative, arch-royalist army.

Prayut swept aside his sole challenger, the charismatic 40-year-old billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit who led the anti-military bloc, comfortably passing the 375-vote threshold to win a majority, with scores of votes still to be counted.

His victory was all but guaranteed by the support of the handpicked 250-member senate and the late swing of key secondary parties into an army-affiliated coalition after frantic behind-the-scenes talks.

The senate, which was appointed by the junta, includes scores of military officers and loyalists -- many identifiable as they read out Prayut's name by their short serviceman's haircuts.

His election completes a journey for the 65-year-old Prayut from gruff army chief who toppled the last civilian government .