Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has disappointed his supporters and political observers, as the Cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday showed no "fresh" faces in the line-up.

With the popularity of his government continuously plunging, a major Cabinet reshuffle had been expected to be a "golden" opportunity to shore up public faith and ensure its survival. This was especially true following the abrupt departure of former deputy prime minister and finance minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula on February 28 and the controversial iTV case.

Observers and politicians speculated the prime minister would seize the chance to get rid of controversial, inactive or incompetent ministers.

They include PM's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan, Social Development and Human Security Minister Paiboon Wattanasiritham, Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an, Agriculture Minister Thira Sutabutra, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Kasem Sanidwong na Ayudhaya, Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet and Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram.

The entire Cabinet was even urged to resign, in order to pave the way for Surayud completely to revamp the line-up, as they were alleged to be living in an "ivory tower" and had lost touch with the people.

A Cabinet reshuffle was believed to offer a fresh start to enable the government to regain the public's trust.

However, no such a change took place on Wednesday. No incumbent ministers are out of the line-up.

Moreover, the new finance minister and three other Cabinet faces are old wine in a new bottle. They have all been in the government since the junta approved Surayud as the new premier last October.

New Finance Minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn was an economic adviser to the government.

Paiboon Wattanasiritham only adds the role of newly appointed deputy prime minister to his portfolio while he is still serving as minister for social development and human security.

Poldej Pinpratheep, who has been appointed deputy minister for social development and human security, was Paiboon's secretary.

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

Political sources argued Surayud might have planned a major reshuffle following Pridiyathorn's resignation, since he could no longer bear the sagging popularity and growing criticism over the inefficiency of his administration.

The government was said to have approached such well-known figures as former Bank of Thailand governor MR Chatu Mongol Sonakul and former deputy governor Ekamol Khiriwat.

However, few outstanding portfolios were believed to dare risk their reputation to work for Surayud, especially as they took the cases of Pridiyathorn and Somkid Jatusripitak to be tragedies of an incompetent premiership.

PM's Office Minister Thirapat was believed to be getting the axe after Pridiyathorn pointed a finger at him for prompting his resignation.

The former deputy PM was upset with Thirapat, who allowed media figure Sondhi Limthongkul's political talk show to broadcast on state-run Channel 11. Sondhi had used his television stage to attack Pridiyathorn.

Surayud not only failed to protect Pridiyathorn, but also passed responsibility for handling the issue to the Public Relations Department, because Sondhi's programme was alleged to have violated broadcasting law.

Even though it was believed the morale of the government's economic team would suffer if Thirapat were allowed to keep his job, Surayud preferred to see the PM's Office minister in his Cabinet.

A week before Pridiyathorn departed, Somkid resigned as the prime minister's special envoy tasked with fostering a better understanding within the international community of the sufficiency-economic theory. This was less than a week after his appointment.

Allegedly, the architect of the Thai Rak Thai Party's populist policies, Somkid was attacked for being a legacy of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Surayud came under political pressure to explain why he had picked a Thaksin man, since doing so contradicted the junta's claim during the September 19 military coup that it had to sort out the mess caused by Thaksin's controversial policies, which included Thaksinomics and the deposed PM's lavish populist schemes.

Instead of defending himself and Somkid, Surayud chose to let Somkid depart, allegedly to keep his image free from dirt.

Although Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda on Wednesday threw his support behind Surayud and the administration in his first political remarks in months, the public's faith in the prime minister seems to be running out.

Surayud has no choice but to push his new Cabinet to "create" what the people can feel and touch.

Otherwise, the junta might lose its patience and throw him out of the next Cabinet line-up.

Weerayut Chokchaimadon

The Nation