By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE LATEST LINEUP OF 36 members of a new Pheu Thai-led Cabinet with the Democrats replacing the Palang Pracharath has been finished, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirmed today (Aug 30).
Following yesterday’s historic event in which the Democrats jumped onto the Pheu Thai government bandwagon, capping 23 years of antagonism between the otherwise opposing camps, the new cabinet lineup has been done whilst all Cabinet members led by Paetongtarn, daughter of de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, will be shortly given a royal audience and formal appointment by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
The latest lineup featured the proportionate allocation of Cabinet portfolios and ministerial seats among coalition partners with the Pheu Thai as core of the coalition having 17 out of the total 36 ministers including the woman prime minister.
The Pheu Thai ministers include Thaksin’s right-hand man/Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, Prime Minister’s Office Ministers Chusak Sirinil and Jiraporn Sindhuprai, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira, Deputy Finance Ministers Julapun Amornvivat and Paopoom Rojanasakul, Foreign Minister Marit Sangiampongsa, Digital Economy & Society Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong, Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthapan, Pheu Thai secretary-general/Tourism & Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, Culture Minister Sudawan Wangsupakitkosol, Deputy Transport Ministers Manaporn Charoensri and Surapong Piyachot and Deputy Interior Minister Thirarat Samretvanich.
The Bhumjaithai, the second largest coalition partner under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, has eight ministers, all being the same ones who had been in a previous cabinet under deposed prime minister Srettha Thavisin, including Bhumjaithai leader/Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Interior Ministers Chada Chaiset and Songsak Thongsri, Labour Minister Pipat Lachakitprakarn, Education Minister Permpoon Chidchob, Deputy Education Minister Surasak Pancharoenworakul, Higher Education, Science, Research & Innovation Minister Supamat Isarapakdee and Deputy Commerce Minister Napintorn Srisanpang.
The Ruam Thai Sang Chart, now the third largest coalition partner under de facto party boss/former coup leader-turned-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, has four ministers, including party leader/Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Energy Minister Pirapan Salilatthavipark, party secretary-general/Industry Minister Eknath Prompan, Deputy Defence Minister Nattapol Nakpanich and Deputy Commerce Minister Suchart Chomklin.
A clique of renegade Palang Pracharath MPs, headed by party secretary-general Thammanat Prompao, has three ministers including Agriculture & Cooperatives Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat and Deputy Agriculture & Cooperatives Ministers Itthi Sirilatthayakorn and Akhara Prompao.
The Democrats have two ministers, namely party leader/Natural Resources & Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on and party secretary-general/Deputy Public Health Minister Det-it Khaothong.
The Chart Thai Pattana and Prachachart has one minister each, namely Social Development & Human Security Minister Varawut Silpa-archa and Justice Minister Thavi Sodsong respectively.
The Palang Pracharath, headed by former deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwan, has been dumped out of the Pheu Thai-led coalition and automatically become part of the People’s-led opposition bloc. Thaksin and Prawit had ostensibly locked horns with each other largely due to conflict of interest, prompting the de facto Pheu Thai boss to kick the former army chief’s party out of the current coalition government.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra talking to the press today, Aug. 30, 2024.
Insert: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. All photos: Thai Rath
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