Kantathi rejects vice minister
Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkon yesterday rejected the Cabinet's choice of Sorachak Kasemsuwan as his new vice minister, saying he should have been involved in the appointment.
Kantathi said he would take the issue up with caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as soon as Kantathi returned from abroad."There will be a new appointment. It will be done as soon as I get back to Bangkok. The situation will not be what it is now," he added. Kantathi said the position of vice minister was relatively new and it was important the appointments came from the respective ministers because the two had to work closely. Last Tuesday the Cabinet approved the appointment of Sorachak, making him the vice minister in the Prime Minister's Office as well as at the Foreign Ministry. Sorachak was vice minister when Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai was foreign minister. He is considered close to Surakiart and his return to the ministry prompted speculation he would be working as the former minister's "eyes and ears", keeping tabs on minister Kantathi, sources said. Sorachak was to replace Virachai Verameteekul in the PM's Office and Prapas Limpaphandhu in the Foreign Ministry. Virachai was given a new job in the PM's Office, while Prapas would become an adviser to the foreign minister, the sources said. Sorachak's main responsibility in the government was to help Surakiart campaign for the top job at the United Nations. He is seeking to succeed Kofi Annan, who steps down at the end of this year.
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