Thai poll officials give go-ahead to parliament

Thailand's parliament got the go ahead on Wednesday to convene and choose a prime minister after election officials approved the required number of winning candidates from the recent vote. The Election Commission endorsed another 94 candidates, bringing the total approved to 496 -- passing the 95 percent threshold needed by law for the 500-seat lower house, commission chief Suthipon Thaveechaiyagarn said. Parliament is expected to convene next week and then choose a house speaker. In the following days MPs will select the prime minister, widely expected to be Yingluck Shinawatra, who will be the first woman to take on the role. About three-fifths of the lower chamber's seats are set to be held by a six-party coalition formed by political novice Yingluck, the sister of the fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2006.