The three new Cabinet faces have worked with the government in other capacities - one serving as an adviser to the administration and two others as adviser and secretary to ministers.

The new finance minister is respected economist Chalongphob Sussangkarn. He was the president of the Thailand Develop-ment Research Institute (TDRI) economic think tank. Cha-longphob, an economic adviser to the government, will succeed MR Pridiyathorn Devakula, who recently resigned.

Reading the royal command, Yongyuth said Social Develop-ment and Human Security Minister Paiboon Wattanasiri-tham would now additionally serve as a deputy prime minister.

Dr Poldej Pinpratheep has been appointed deputy minister of social development and human security. He was secretary to Paiboon.

Dr Morakot Kornkasem becomes deputy public health minister. He was previously adviser to Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is scheduled to lead the new appointees in an audience with His Majesty the King this evening, a source said.

The prime minister said yesterday he would directly supervise the Finance Ministry while leaving one of his deputies, Kosit Pan-piemras, to head the economic team.

He explained the arrangement was aimed at preventing possible allegations of conflict of interest because Kosit was a Bangkok Bank senior executive before joining his administration.

Business circles welcomed the appointment of Chalongphob yesterday.

Board of Trade chairman Pramon Suthivong acknowledged Chalongphob as a well-known academic with extensive macro-economic knowledge.

"It depends on how long he will take adapting to the environment at the Finance Ministry where quick decisions are necessary," he said. He urged Chalongphob to speed up government budget disbursement and the building of five electric train routes to boost the economy.

Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce chairman Peter J Van Haren welcomed Chalongphob, saying the business community appreciated his extensive knowledge. Van Haren wanted the Finance Ministry or the Commerce Ministry to explain legal issues involving foreign businesses. This will restore confidence.

Kosit will meet Chalongphob tomorrow to discuss policy and Finance Ministry operations.

"He is a capable economist with expertise and understanding of the economy. He has done much academic research. He deserves some time to prove himself," Kosit said.

Paiboon said as deputy prime minister with responsibility for social affairs he would focus on three major "missions" - eradicating poverty, strengthening communities and building a peaceful and virtuous society.

Morakot expected to ease the workload of the health minister with whom he had worked at the Public Health Ministry.

"I will exercise power as a Cabinet member only as much as is necessary. I will act the same way I did, just as my colleagues at the ministry do," he said.

Meanwhile, Privy Council president General Prem Tinsulanonda said yesterday the prime minister and his ministers had volunteered to steer the country through a transition period to restore democracy and they would stay to do this until their mission was completed.

"I am not concerned about the government's performance because the prime minister is really a very good man who always strives to serve the public," Prem said.