The Thai capital of Bangkok has a new governor after Chadchart Sittipunt took office following his landslide victory last month.

Chadchart was a government minister until the military coup eight years ago. The previous governor had been appointed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, formerly the head of the country's military.

The 56-year-old previously served in the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra. He won a record high of more than 1.3 million votes, or over 50 percent of the ballots cast.

On Wednesday, he addressed his new colleagues at Bangkok City Hall, saying he looks forward to working with everyone.

Chadchart also promised to make good on his campaign pledges to tackle some of Bangkok's recurring issues, including its notorious traffic problems and major flooding.

His landslide victory suggests the opposition is gaining momentum while the current national administration faces growing unpopularity. Observers say the result will impact the prime minister's standing and, possibly, the general election due to be held by next March.