Image from The Nation Thailand/ANN
BNAGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): Thailand’s new Cabinet will be unveiled in “three to four days” so that the new ministers can start working next month, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Saturday.
He said that because his coalition government comprised many political parties, it would take some time to finalise the Cabinet list. Local reports suggested thenew Cabinet line-up would be sorted out by Thursday (Aug 31).
Srettha’s Pheu Thai Party is leading an 11-party coalition forming the next government.
The ministerial posts for his party have been finalised, the newly appointed PM said. He declined, however, to confirm or deny media reports that he would double as finance minister.
“Please wait for 3-4 more days and it should be completed,” Srettha said when asked about his Cabinet lineup.
He said background checks on the Cabinet members nominated by the coalition partners could be carried out next week.
“I hope everything will be fine. We want to start working already,” he added.
The legal process requires new Cabinet members to perform a swearing-in ceremony during their audience with His Majesty the King and for the new government to announce its policy statement to Parliament before it can officially start working.
Regarding a remark by caretaker Deputy Premier Wissanu Kreangam, who is in charge of the outgoing government’s legal affairs, that the new administration could start working in late September, Srettha said: “We will try. But I want that to come sooner because there are many urgent things to do.”
Meanwhile, Pheu Thai MP and senior politician Sutin Klungsang on Saturday declined to confirm media reports that he would become the next education minister.
However, the veteran politician said that he was prepared to assume the office if he was appointed to it. “I worked as a teacher for many years,” he said.
Another prominent Pheu Thai figure, Julapun Amornvivat, has been tipped to become the next foreign affairs minister.
A five-time MP for Chiang Mai, he is now a Pheu Thai deputy leader. The 48-year-old MP is also part of the party’s working team on economic affairs. - The Nation Thailand/ANN
