Thailand parliament fails to elect new PM in joint voting session
Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of Thailand's Move Forward Party who failed to win parliamentary support to become prime minister, reacts at the parliament, in Bangkok, Thailand, July 13.
Thailand's parliament failed to pick a new prime minister on Thursday as the sole candidate and Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat fell short of securing the majority support from the parliamentarians.
In a joint session of the 500-member lower house and the 250-senator upper house, Pita was the only candidate nominated as prime minister but received only 324 votes in favor, short of the 376-vote simple majority required to become the prime minister, according to roll-call votes broadcasted live.
The vote was held after several hours of debates among the parliamentarians.
The Move Forward Party emerged as the largest party in the lower house of parliament in Thailand's general election in May.
