Deputy Prime Minister of Australia accepted the view put to him by McEwen that to commission a Liberal temporarily as Prime Minister would give that person an unfair advantage in the forthcoming party room ballot for the permanent leader. McEwen's appointment was in keeping with the previous occasion when the main non-Labor party was without a leader; Earle Page of the Country Party was interim Prime Minister between 7 and 26 April 1939—the period between Joseph Lyons' sudden death and the United Australia Party naming Robert Menzies his successor. Since 1968 only two Deputy Prime Ministers have gone on to become Prime Minister: Paul Keating
Prime Minister of Thailand Rajanubhab took over this role. In fact, the office most considered the precursor of that of the prime minister was the ancient office of "Samuha Nayok" (สมุหนายก), which was run by an "Akkhra Maha Senabodi" (อัครมหาเสนาบดี) or "chief minister in charge of civilian affairs". The first Prime Minister of Siam was Phraya Manopakorn Nititada, a judge. The title of the office was changed from "Prime Minister "of Siam"" to "Prime Minister "of Thailand"" in 1945 and then permanently with the renaming of Siam to Thailand in 1949. For most of its existence the office has been occupied by Army leaders;