By Thai Newsroom Reporters
A BHUMJAITHAI-LED cabinet of ministers headed by Prime Minister-Designate Anutin Charnvirakul will likely consist of 24 Bhumjaithai figures plus four “non-politician” technocrats under the quota of the largest elected party steered by de facto party boss Newin Chidchob and eight others from the Pheu Thai, the second largest coalition partner, a partisan source confirmed today (March 18).
Newin has been invariably viewed as “manager of government” behind the scenes empowered with the final say to the proportionate distribution of cabinet portfolio among coalition partners and allocation of ministerial seats among Bhumjaithai figures.
Following the naming of the Bhumjaithai leader/caretaker prime minister for head of the post-election government during tomorrow’s (March 19) House of Representatives meeting, the Anutin II cabinet will likely see the newly-named prime minister himself performing as interior minister in concurrent fashion whilst three Bhumjaithai MPs will be named deputy interior ministers, namely Polapee Suwanchawee, Worasit Liangprasit and Jayset Thaiset.
Caretaker deputy defence minister Adul Boonthamcharoen will retain his current position in government and caretaker justice minister Ruthapol Naowarat will also retain his current position.
Caretaker transport minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn will likely retain his current portfolio and will be assisted by three Bhumjaithai MPs as deputy transport ministers, namely Siripong Unkhasakulkiat, Patrapong Patraprasit and Sanpet Boonyamanee.
Newin’s son/Bhumjaithai secretary-general Chaichanok Chidchob will likely retain his cabinet portfolio as digital economy & society minister to be assisted by Bhumjaithai MP Nan Boontida Somchai as deputy digital economy & society minister whilst Bhumjaithai MP Surasak Pancharoenworakul will be named tourism & sports minister.
Remarkably, Bhumjaithai MP Ekanat Prompan who defected from the disintegrating Ruam Thai Sang Chart to Newin’s camp will likely be named energy minister whilst another renegade MP, namely Suchart Chomklin, will be named natural resources & environment minister.
Caretaker public health minister Patana Prompat will likely retain his current portfolio whilst former Chart Thai leader Varawut Silpa-archa who led an exodus of his fellow ex-Chart Thai MPs to Newin’s camp will be named industry minister and Bhumjaithai MP Sabida Thaiset will be named culture minister.
All the four technocrats in government will retain their current positions including Deputy Prime Minister Bowornsak Uwanno in charge of the government’s legal affairs, Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapart who will be named finance minister in concurrent fashion, Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaew who will be named deputy prime minister in concurrent fashion and Commerce Minister Supajee Suthumpun who will be named deputy prime minister in concurrent fashion.
Four Bhumjaithai MPs will likely be named ministers attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, namely Paradorn Prisnanuntakul, Supamat Isarapakdee, Napintorn Srisanpang and Suksomruay Wataniyakul.
Meanwhile, eight Pheu Thai MPs under de facto party boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra will be given ministerial seats including Thaksin’s nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat as higher education, science, research & innovation minister, Pheu Thai leader Julapun Amornvivat as education minister and ex-Pheu Thai electoral campaign director Suriya Juangroongruangkit as agriculture & cooperatives minister, among others. The Pheu Thai trio who contested in vain for prime minister in last month’s election were elected MPs in party-listed mode.
CAPTIONS:
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul give the love sign, above, and in a happy mood, Front Page. Above photo – Naewna, Front Page photo – PPTVHD36
First insert – Bhumjaithai de facto boss Newin Chidchob. Photo – PPTVHD36
Second insert – De facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra’s nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat, right, and party leader Julapun Amornvivat, left. Photo – Amarin TV
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