Thai ruling party elects new leader

Jarupong Ruangsuwan, a newly- elected vice prime minister of Thailand, has been chosen as the new leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party as expected. Being the only candidate for the party's top post, the 66-year- old politician won without competition, pocketing 332 votes out of a total of 334 in the election on Monday. The election of other executive committee members is still underway. The election was necessitated by the resignation of Yongyuth Wichaidit as party leader earlier this month after he was examined on suspicion of malfeasance in connection with a land case. The term of the executive committee terminated following his resignation. Jarupong once worked at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Justice Ministry and Labor Ministry. He was named secretary general of the Pheu Thai Party in May 2011 and transport minister after the first cabinet reshuffle in January this year. In the second cabinet reshuffle which was endorsed the King of Thailand last Sunday, Jarupong was moved from the transport portfolio to be vice prime minister and interior minister.