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Published on October 1, 2007

He also plans to retain the interior minister portfolio to keep neutrality, Boonrawd said.

The defence minister told The Nation after playing golf with the prime minister that Surayud did not talk much about the Cabinet reshuffle.

Appointing new Cabinet members could lead to a waste of time because of the need to verify their qualifications.

Boonrawd said the prime minister feels the two deputy interior ministers could assist him if he assumes the interior minister's post.

Boonrawd said Surayud is scheduled to discuss these issues with concerned deputy prime ministers and ministers.

A source from the government, who asked not to be named, said Surayud did not want big changes in the Cabinet as its term will end in three or four months. He wants the government's work to be accomplished as soon as possible. However, he plans to appoint Council for National Security chairman and retired Army chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin as deputy prime minister for security.

The source said Surayud might let a supervising deputy prime minister or PM's Office Minister Khunying Dhipavadee Meksawan, who was previously a permanent secretary at the Information and Communications Technology Ministry, to take care of the ministry.

Meanwhile, the work of the deputy commerce minister might be transferred to the minister, the source said.

Information and Communications Technology Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom, Deputy Commerce Minister Oranuj Osatananda and Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya resigned after they were found to be holding shares totalling more than 5 per cent of the equity in various private companies.

Four other ministers have also been questioned on the same issue.

The source said the prime minister would dissuade the ministers from resigning so they could work for the country.

Deputy Finance Minister Sommai Phasee, one of the four questioned, said he will today clarify the allegation.

He said his friend had asked him to join in the Kamala Beach Resort. However, he decided not invest his money in the venture.

Sommai said he was innocent and the law protects interim Cabinet members. However, the allegation seems to be  affecting the government's stability.

Assumption University's Abac Poll released yesterday said 65 per cent of 1,504 respondents in and around Bangkok agreed with the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) debate on the government's moral standard, 16 per cent disagreed while 19 per cent gave no comment.

Democrat Party spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon said ministers must have known the law before they took up their posts. Otherwise, they would not have declared their assets to the National Counter-Corruption Commission.

However, it is the NLA's duty to scrutinise the government, he said.

Piyanart Srivalo,

Hassaya Chartmontri

The Nation