Thai Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha speaks during the start of a National Legislative Assembly meeting to consider urgent matters including the 2015 Budget Bill, at the parliament in Bangkok August 18, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

BANGKOK - Thai junta leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha was elected prime minister in parliament on Thursday in a move that has been widely expected since he seized power in May.

Prayuth has won at least half the votes, the required number needed to secure his nomination, a live television broadcast of the parliamentary session showed. The 60-year-old was the only person nominated.

His appointment will need to be formally approved by Thailand's king.

The military says it took power on May 22 to avoid further bloodshed and restore stability after months of unrest pitting supporters of ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra against her Bangkok-based royalist opponents.