The King of Thailand Thursday morning issued a royal command to appoint the 242-member National Legislative Assembly, a new body which will act as the country's parliament, local media reported.

The assembly has 17 representatives from permanent officials, 12 representatives of judicial officials and public prosecutors, 35 military officials, seven police officers, eight representatives from the state enterprise employees, six representatives of bankers, 19 representatives of trade, service, transport, construction and real estate businesses, and 11 representatives of general businesses, multimedia news-network The Nation reported.

There are also seven representatives of lawyers, four representatives of political parties, 11 academics from the fields of philosophy, religion, arts and culture, and 20 representatives of the media, entertainers, artists and writers as well as 43 retired civil servants.

The four representatives of political parties in the assembly are Surin Pitsuwan of the Democrat Party, Akkarapol Sorasuchart of the Mahachon Party, Pinij Jarusombat, who is former Thai Rak Thai Party member, and Kanchana Silapa-archa of the Chat Thai Party.

Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the anti-Thaksin group People's Alliance of Democracy (PAD) is also appointed as a legislative representative.

Earlier this month, Chairman of the military Council for National Security (CNS) and Royal Thai Army Commander-in-chief Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said that the body will be formed to fulfill an obligation under the current temporary Constitution.

Under the interim charter, the assembly can question cabinet members on policy but has no power to remove them from office, the report said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2006)