Thailand's former prime minister Chuan Leekpai from the Democrat Party was elected as the speaker of the House of Representatives on Saturday.

He was nominated by pro-government Palang Pracharath Party while another nominee is former deputy prime minister Sompong Amornvivat from the Pheu Thai Party.

"Chuan got 258 votes and Sompong got 235, which means Chuan would be the new speaker of the House of Representatives," acting speaker Chai Chidchob said.

Under the Thai constitution, the House speaker will also be the president of the national assembly who will convene the lower house and the Senate to jointly elect a new prime minister.

Chuan Leekpai, 80, a senior member of the Democrat Party, served as the Thai prime minister for two terms, the first between 1992 and 1995, and the second between 1997 and 2001.