Thai poll body certifies election results, clearing path for new parliament

Thailand's election commission said on Wednesday it has certified 499 of 500 parliamentary seats won in last month's general election, clearing the way for a new house to convene and a new government to be formed.

* Under the rules, the new parliament must meet within 15days of certification. It will elect a speaker and deputyspeaker and will then choose a prime minister, who will move toform a government. * The certified results show Prime Minister AnutinCharnvirakul's Bhumjaithai Party winning 191 seats, followed bythe People's Party on 120, the Pheu Thai Party on 74 and KlaTham on 58. * Bhumjaithai has said it plans to form a coalition withthird-place Pheu Thai and several smaller parties - an alliancethat would hold an estimated 292 seats. * A new government is expected to begin working in April, aBhumjaithai party official told Reuters. * The poll body said 37.8 million Thais voted in theFebruary 8 election, representing 71.42% eligible voters. * The commission said it still needs time to investigate 246election-related complaints. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Martin Petty)