BANGKOK - Nikhom Vairatchapanich, Thailand's former deputy Senate speaker, won the top post of the Thailand, marginally outscoring his contender in Tuesday's voting.

He has become the new Senate speaker, given 77 votes in secret balloting from among a total of 146 colleagues, compared to 69 votes for his rival Pichet Sunthornpipit.

Nikhom, who was outvoted for the same post last year, was elected in 2008's senatorial election in his home province of Chachoengsao, while Pichet, a former ombudsman, was appointed that year.

The term for the new Senate speaker will only last about one year and a half as he has already spent four years and a half out of a six-years tenure, beginning in March 2008.

Nikhom succeeded Thiradet Meephian, who lost the top bench of the Upper House, following the Criminal Court's ruling which found him guilty of charges of managing a raise in his own salary while he was chief ombudsman a few years ago.

Shortly before the senators cast their votes at parliament, the 65-year-old Nikhom vowed to be "politically impartial", perform transparently and independently of the executive branch and keep himself intact from external pressure.

Besides, he pledged to support all independent agencies, such as the Office of the Ombudsmen and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

"I shall promote international relationships, particularly among the ASEAN member states which will become an ASEAN Economic Community in the next few years.

"Given my having assumed the post of First Deputy Senate Speaker for four and a half years now, I have had enough experience to maintain Senate sessions in order and I remember the parliament rules so precisely," said the new Senate speaker.

The senators voted twice for Senate Speaker because the outcome of the first round of voting, in which Pichet was given 63 votes and Nikhom 46 votes, was short of one half, accounting for 73, of the total of 146 senators.

That resulted in the second round of voting which sent Nikhom grabbing the top bench of the Upper House, in accordance with the parliament rules.

In the first round, two other senators also vied for the post, namely Kecha Saksomboon who was given 35 votes and Sunand Singsomboon given two votes.