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Published on October 2, 2007

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has found himself in the hot seat after two more ministers resigned yesterday following growing pressure on them to step down over controversial stockholdings.

Five ministers have quit within a week, but Surayud insisted he would not bow to a call by a political group for him to quit.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Kasem Sanidwong na Ayudhaya and Deputy Foreign Minister Sawanit Kongsiri resigned after attending a Cabinet meeting yesterday morning.

They followed three other ministers who stepped down a few days earlier. They were Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya, ICT Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom and Deputy Commerce Minister Oranuj Osatananda.

The five ministers were targeted by the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) over the past week for owning shares in companies over a 5 per cent limit imposed on ministers before to the coup. However, these shareholdings are not a punishable offence under the interim constitution.

Surayud said Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an, Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla and Deputy Finance Minister Sommai Phasee have refused to resign as they believed their shareholdings did not violate the law.

Yesterday's resignations mean five Cabinet seats are vacant.

"I have to reshuffle the Cabinet. But I am well aware of the remaining time left before the country holds the national election scheduled for December 23, so I will make only minor changes," he said.

Surayud did not confirm if he would take the interior minister's post or if former junta chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin was the favoured candidate for this. Sonthi is said to be likely to get a seat in the new Cabinet as deputy PM overseeing security affairs.

A source in the government said Surayud wanted to promote Banyat Jansena, a deputy Interior minister, to replace Aree.

The source said Surayud had approached an outsider to replace Sitthichai at the ICT Ministry. PM's Office Minister Dhipavadee Meksawan had been favoured to take the ICT post. But she was considered an improper choice as she is being investigated by the Assets Examination Committee over a questionable policy decision when permanent secretary at the ICT Ministry.

Surayud said he expected to submit the list of new Cabinet members for Royal endorsement this week.

The prime minister criticised the NCCC for releasing the list to the media without informing the Cabinet. He said he ordered in future the NCCC should contact each Cabinet member it is investigating instead of reporting it to the media.

The NCCC's tough stance toward the Cabinet is said to be linked to a campaign to oust the interim government.

About 30 members of the National Legislative Assembly have launched a signature campaign to censure Surayud. The group, led by Prasong Soonsiri, a fierce enemy of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, claim the interim government was illegitimate, as a number of ministers had conflicts of interest.

Surayud himself was accused of illegally owning a plot of land in Nakhon Ratchasima, as it was part of a national park.

He will reportedly appear on a special programme due to be aired on all television channels at 8pm tonight to defend the allegation. The programme will be recorded in the afternoon.

Surayud insisted yesterday he would not quit under any conditions and would make every effort to see the election is held on December 23, as scheduled.

"But if there is anything that makes that schedule not possible, it will be another story," he said.

Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla failed to declare his wife's assets because they were separated, but not officially divorced, a member of the National CounterCorruption Commission said yesterday.

Somlak Jadkrabuanpol said the NCCC initially saw the minister's excuse as unacceptable but the agency members had yet to discuss what to do about it.

She said the NCCC will meet today to discuss Cabinet members who hold shares in companies in excess of the five per cent limit required by law.

In response to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's complaint about the NCCC's failure to notify ministers about their qualifications, she said the agency would have to explain to the prime minister that its duties do not include informing Cabinet members about their qualifications. That is the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretariat, she said.

Piyanart Srivalo,

Hassaya Chartmontri

The Nation