By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE LATEST CABINET under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, expected to be formally endorsed by His Majesty the King very shortly, features new faces as well as familiar figures either attached to the head of government himself or his Bhumjaithai-led coalition partners.
Anutin has apparently opted to play triple roles as prime minister, interior minister and Bhumjaithai leader in concurrent fashion and to have a maximum of 36 cabinet members including himself run the country for a four-month period as earlier pledged in exchange for the People’s conditional support for his rise to power.
Anutin has publicly vowed to dissolve the House of Representatives and to push for comprehensive amendment to the coup junta-designed constitution of 2017 to be followed by a general election in a four-month time after he has delivered his government’s policy statement at parliament.
The Anutin cabinet has nine non-partisan persons deemed as “technocrats” and directly responsive to the prime minister including Deputy Prime Minister Borwornsak Uwanno in charge of the government’s legal affairs, Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaeo, Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister Ekaniti Nitithanprapat, Energy Minister Attapol Rirkpibul and Commerce Minister Supajee Suthumpun, among others.
The Bhumjaithai, core of the current coalition government under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, have a dozen cabinet members including Anutin as the party leader, Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister Sopon Sarum and Digital Economy & Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob, son of Newin’s and secretary-general of the party, among others.
The Klatham under de facto party boss Thammanat Prompao who broke ranks with the Pheu Thai under de facto party boss-turned-inmate Thaksin Shinawatra and voted Anutin for prime minister have seven ministerial seats including Thammanat as agriculture & cooperatives minister, Education Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat who concurrently acts as party leader, Tourism & Sports Minister Attakorn Sirilathayakorn and Social Development & Human Security Minister Akara Prompao, a brother of Thammanat’s.
The Palang Pracharath were given four ministerial seats including Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Public Health Minister Pattana Prompat and Labour Minister Trinud Thienthong. Palang Pracharath leader Prawit Wongsuwan had been earlier speculated to grab dual seats of deputy prime minister-cum-defence minister but finally declined to take it.
The faction headed by Suchart Chomklin who broke ranks with the Ruam Thai Sang Chart and voted Anutin for prime minister was given three ministerial seats including Suchart as deputy prime minister-cum-natural resources & environment minister.
One of the eight renegade Pheu Thai MPs, namely Sakda Wichiensilp, who broke ranks with Thaksin’s camp to vote Anutin for head of government was given a seat of deputy interior minister. He resigned as Pheu Thai MP following his rebellious act perpetrated in support of the Bhumjaithai prime minister.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Photos: Amarin TV
First insert: Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaeo. Photo: Thai Rath
Second insert: Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister Ekaniti Nitithanprapat. Photo: Thai Rath
Third insert: Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao. Photo: Thai Rath
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