Thai tycoon takes office as PM

BANGKOK, Sept 07 (AFP): Thai tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul took office as prime minister on Sunday, after an endorsement from the king started the conservative's tenure as the nation's new leader.

"His Majesty the King has endorsed Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul to be prime minister from now onwards," said secretary-general of Thailand's lower house of parliament Arpath Sukhanunth, reading aloud a royal command in a ceremony at Anutin's Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok.

Anutin, 58, has previously served as deputy prime minister, interior minister and health minister-but is perhaps most famous for being the architect of Thailand's 2022 cannabis decriminalisation.

He becomes the kingdom's third leader in two years, but has taken power with coalition backing conditional on dissolving parliament within four months to hold fresh elections.