Pokkrong Sunthornsut said the EC had approved the appointments on the grounds that they were promotions within the same government agency, which would not give the Thai Rak Thai Party any political advantage.

The Cabinet approved the two appointments on July 4 and sent them for endorsement to the EC on July 13, Pokkrong said.

Section 215 of the Constitution stipulates that a caretaker government must seek the approval of the EC for transfers of officials at C-10 and C-11 levels. The relevant posts at the top two levels include general civil servants, the national police chief, political appointees, city administration officials and heads of state-enterprise agencies.

The posts at C-10 and C-11 levels that do not require EC approvals or a Cabinet endorsement are those held by judges, public prosecutors and other judicial officials, university lecturers and professors, parliamentary permanent officials and commanders of Army, Air Force and Navy units at divisional level.