Thai king endorses military-appointed parliament

BANGKOK - Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej has endorsed an army-nominated 242-member parliament, consisting mainly of active and retired senior civil servants and top military officers, the government said on Thursday.

The National Legislative Assembly was created three weeks after the military seized power from Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup.

An interim civilian government led by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, a retired army chief, was sworn in by the King on Monday.

The assembly, which acts as both houses of parliament - the Senate and House of Representatives - is required by the interim constitution to initiate laws, pass them, and to debate the performance of the government but not censure it.

"We have carefully selected these people," General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the Army Commander in Chief and leader of the coup makers told reporters.

"They will set up the right guidelines and direction for the new constitution for the country," he said.

Despite the coup leaders' pledge to return to barracks two weeks after the September 19 coup, the military has the largest number of people on the assembly with 35 generals and equivalents from the army, navy and air force, according to a government statement.

The assembly also includes top bankers and industrialists, religious leaders from the rebellious Muslim south, media representatives, and leaders of an anti-Thaksin campaign.

According to the interim charter, the assembly will work with another panel to write a new constitution which will be put to a referendum, followed by a general election a year from now.

- REUTERS