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In her first address to the nation after receiving the royal command
formalising her premiership, Ms Yingluck vowed her allegiance to the
monarchy and pledged to foster national reconciliation.


Her cabinet line-up is expected to be submitted for royal endorsement today.



Mr Pitoon read out the royal command appointing Ms Yingluck as the
country's new premier after she was nominated for the top job
uncontested on Friday by the majority of members of the House of
Representatives.


The royal command, which was countersigned by House Speaker Somsak
Kiatsuranont, was then placed before a portrait of His Majesty the King.


Ms Yingluck, the younger sister of deposed prime minister Thaksin
Shinawatra, knelt and paid respects before the King's portrait as she
received the command, to the cheers and applause of a huge crowd of
supporters.


Also present were key Pheu Thai members, Shinawatra family members
such as Somchai Wongsawat and Ms Yingluck's elder sister Yaowapa
Wongsawat, Payap Shinawatra as well as leaders and key coalition party
figures.


Ms Yingluck's husband, Anusorn Amornchat, and her son Suppasek, also attended the ceremony.


Speaking in her inauguration speech televised nationwide, Ms Yingluck
said the royal command appointing her as prime minister was the highest
honour bestowed upon her and her family.


She pledged allegiance to the monarchy and her full commitment
towards working in the best interests of the country and the public.


"I would like to thank the public, party members, party MPs and the
brothers and sisters who joined in the ideology of democracy in
supporting me to become prime minister.


"I regard it as part of my great responsibility to enlist the support
and strength of people in all sectors of society to ensure the nation
can overcome its problems and win recognition from foreign countries,"
Ms Yingluck said.


At one point in her speech, Ms Yingluck quoted part of a royal
address given by His Majesty the King on Jan 24, 1989 when the King
presided over a ceremony to bestow degrees upon graduates at Chiang Mai
University. Ms Yingluck also attended the ceremony then as a graduate.


The King's speech had stressed the importance of using wisdom to
change oneself and improve one's work efficiency. The King also called
on the graduates to be willing to coordinate efforts and work with
others to achieve the desired results.


Ms Yingluck said she would use the King's speech as a guideline to help with the work of her government.


She promised that she would do her best to bring about happiness and restore national harmony.


She said she realised being a woman prime minister in such difficult
circumstances was a challenge and that many people have high
expectations of her.


"But I believe that being a woman will not be an obstacle to my work.
I am determined to do my utmost to bring about happiness and to ease
suffering,"she said.


Pheu Thai party list-MP Sanoh Thienthong said that the cabinet line-up is expected to be submitted for royal endorsement today.


He said that it is normal that some party members may be left out of
the cabinet given the limited number of 35 seats, although this should
not cause any rifts in party ranks.


Former prime minister Somchai, Thaksin's brother-in-law, dismissed
reports that he and his wife Ms Yaowapa had a hand in choosing the
cabinet.


He said the new cabinet members should do their best to win the hearts and minds of the people.