BANGKOK, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Tuesday that King Maha Vajiralongkorn has chosen Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong as the 20th Supreme Patriarch of the country.

"I submitted names of five qualified monks for His Majesty to consider and I was informed that the king had chosen Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong on Monday night," said Prayut.

Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong, born in 26 June, 1927, is the abbot of Wat Ratchabophit. He has spent eight decades in monasteries, Thai media the Nation reported.

An appointment ceremony will be held at Wat Phra Kaew on Sunday.

Thailand's last supreme patriarch Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara died in October 2013 at an age of 100.

About 95 percent of Thailand's population is said to follow Buddhism