FACTBOX-Somchai Wongsawat, Thailand's new PM

BANGKOK, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Following are five facts about Thailand's new prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, who was elected by parliament on Wednesday.

(For full story, see THAILAND-PM/ (UPDATE 1) or click on [ID:nSP357245])

- Somchai, 61, is the brother-in-law of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted in a coup two years ago. Somchai's wife, Yaowapa, was an influential MP in her elder brother's Thai Rak Thai party before it was disbanded in the wake of the putsch.

- A law graduate and former appeals court judge, most of his top government experience was as permanent secretary of the Justice Ministry from 1999 to 2006 and then briefly in the same position at the Labour Ministry.

He served as education minister and deputy prime minister in the cabinet of Samak Sundaravej, who was sacked last week by the Constitutional Court for hosting TV cooking shows while in office.

- His relationship with Thaksin has led to frequent cries of nepotism, especially when a justice minister with whom he clashed lost his job.

He countered such accusations by noting his Justice Ministry appointment came two years before Thaksin came to power.

- As well as his senior positions within the bureaucracy, he also sat on the board of several state-controlled firms, including Airports of Thailand AOT.BK, national petroleum company PTT PTT.BK and Krung Thai Bank KTB.BK.

- Bespectacled and softly spoken, Somchai has seldom had to endure the glare of the television cameras and appeared nervous and unsure of himself as he chaired a People Power Party (PPP) news conference last week. (Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Darren Schuettler and David Fox)