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Thaksin relative is new premier

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From Times Wire Reports

Lawmakers have elected the brother-in-law of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as the new prime minister of Thailand.

Parliament voted 298 to 163 today in favor of Somchai Wongsawat, 61, who was education minister and is married to Thaksin’s younger sister. The previous prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, was ousted this month for appearing on a cooking show.

The choice of Somchai was unlikely to disperse anti-government protesters who have been camped at the prime minister’s official compound since Aug. 26.

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