Asia-Pacific

US ready to cooperate with new Thai govt

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-07-05 17:26

Puea Thai Party's Yingluck Shinawatra (C) arrives to attend a news conference on the formation of her coalition in Bangkok July 4, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

BANGKOK - US Ambassador to Thailand on Tuesday met outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to congratulate on a smooth election on July 3 and said she was ready to work with both new government and opposition.

Speaking after meeting the outgoing PM for 20 minutes at Government House, Her Excellency Kristie Kenney stated that she congratulated Abhisit for the successful and smooth arrangement of the voting.

"We congratulate the people of the Kingdom of Thailand, our long-time friend and ally, for their robust participation in the July 3rd parliamentary elections. The choice of who will lead Thailand now rests with those representatives elected by the Thai people," said an embassy statement issued on July 3.

The ambassador on Monday made a phone call to congratulate Yingluck Shinawatra, the incoming first female premier of Thailand, on her party's decisive victory.

Asked if the United States is confident that there will be no more coup d'etat in Thailand, Kenney expressed her appreciation that the election went on peacefully, and Thai people should be proud of the election while the United States is looking forward to working with the new government and the civil sector.

Asked if she will visit and meet the top brass, the envoy replied that she will meet everyone.  

With 265 seats out of 500 in the House of Representatives, Pheu Thai would set up the new government. On Monday, the party's prime ministerial candidate, Yingluck, announced her party would team up with four other smaller parties to form a new government with 299 MPs.  

The Sunday election was the second after bloodless coup in 2006 and the first after years of political unrest.