Thai PM announces Cabinet reshuffle
Thailand has a reshuffled govt as the country's embattled PM Samak Sundaravej seeks to mollify critics of his handling of the economy and political issues.
By Agencies |
BANGKOK: Thailand has a reshuffled government as the country's embattled Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej seeks to mollify critics of his handling of the economy and political issues.
The reshuffle came Sunday as thousands of protesters continued to demonstrate in Bangkok calling for Samak's resignation.
The government announced Friday that inflation was at a 10-year high of 9.2 per cent due to rising food and fuel costs.
"It is very disappointing to see the new Cabinet list," said Abhisit Vejjajiva, who heads the opposition Democrat Party. "The new Cabinet cannot give Thais any hope in dealing with the economic situation."
The reshuffle involved 11 Cabinet posts, including the key interior, commerce, industry and public health ministries.
Chaiya Sasomsup, who in recent weeks was disqualified as health minister, comes back to head the Commerce Ministry despite a Constitutional Court ruling that he violated asset disclosure rules by failing to fully declare his wife's shareholdings.
Mingkwan Saengsuwan, who came under fire for his performance as commerce minister, was transferred to run the Industry Ministry.
Retired police General Kovit Wattana was named the new interior minister, replacing the unpopular Charlerm Yoobamrung. The opposition accused Charlerm of being behind a July 25 attack in which hooligans used axes and sticks to beat anti-government protesters in northeastern Thailand. More than 20 people were injured, some seriously.
Samak's original Cabinet took office in February, following the first since a September 2006 military coup ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for alleged corruption and abuse of power.
Since then, Samak has been forced to defend his administration against critics who contend it has failed to revive the country's sagging economy and was doing the bidding of Thaksin, who returned to the country from self-imposed exile in February.
"With nonstop protests against the government, Samak had no choice but to replace some of his unpopular ministers," said Sukhum Nuansakul, a political lecturer at Ramkhamhaeng University, who predicted that Samak was buying time before moving to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections.
The reshuffle came Sunday as thousands of protesters continued to demonstrate in Bangkok calling for Samak's resignation.
The government announced Friday that inflation was at a 10-year high of 9.2 per cent due to rising food and fuel costs.
"It is very disappointing to see the new Cabinet list," said Abhisit Vejjajiva, who heads the opposition Democrat Party. "The new Cabinet cannot give Thais any hope in dealing with the economic situation."
The reshuffle involved 11 Cabinet posts, including the key interior, commerce, industry and public health ministries.
Chaiya Sasomsup, who in recent weeks was disqualified as health minister, comes back to head the Commerce Ministry despite a Constitutional Court ruling that he violated asset disclosure rules by failing to fully declare his wife's shareholdings.
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Mingkwan Saengsuwan, who came under fire for his performance as commerce minister, was transferred to run the Industry Ministry.
Retired police General Kovit Wattana was named the new interior minister, replacing the unpopular Charlerm Yoobamrung. The opposition accused Charlerm of being behind a July 25 attack in which hooligans used axes and sticks to beat anti-government protesters in northeastern Thailand. More than 20 people were injured, some seriously.
Samak's original Cabinet took office in February, following the first since a September 2006 military coup ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for alleged corruption and abuse of power.
Since then, Samak has been forced to defend his administration against critics who contend it has failed to revive the country's sagging economy and was doing the bidding of Thaksin, who returned to the country from self-imposed exile in February.
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"With nonstop protests against the government, Samak had no choice but to replace some of his unpopular ministers," said Sukhum Nuansakul, a political lecturer at Ramkhamhaeng University, who predicted that Samak was buying time before moving to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections.
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