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Published on October 9, 2007

 Newly appointed Deputy Prime Min-ister Sonthi Boonya-ratglin was yesterday assigned to oversee the Interior Ministry - which critics said he might use to influence the upcoming election and seek to retain power.

Somchai Preechasilapakul, a law lecturer from Chiang Mai University, said he was not surprised at the premier appointing Sonthi to take charge of the Interior ministry. He claimed it was an attempt to control the upcoming election.

"We are concerned that it is a ploy to grab political power."

The result of the referendum on the new constitution, which saw the " Yes" vote win by only a small margin, made the junta and government want to handle the election because the old power clique still existed, he said. Supporters of the defunct Thai Rak Thai Party were still a powerful political base.

He said the assignment clearly meant Sonthi was the real Interior minister.

"Why didn't the prime minister appoint Sonthi as Interior minister? It is amusing to see them work like this," he said.

The academic said people were not stupid and were well aware of what the premier and Sonthi had done.

Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of the Popular Campaign for Democracy, agreed with Somchai. He said the appointment would make people more confused about the administration.

He said the public could not know their [real] agenda, saying that Surayud was raising suspicions that the country had two prime ministers, or a ploy to pass on power.

In his monthly "PM meets the press" event at Government House, Prime Minister Surayud introduced new Cabinet member Sonthi to the media. Surayud said he assigned Sonthi as deputy PM to oversee security. Apart from the Interior Ministry, Sonthi would also oversee the Defence Ministry and Labour Ministry.

Earlier, former coup leader Sonthi was reportedly tipped to take two Cabinet posts - Deputy PM and Interior Minister. But it was seen as a political risk to assign him to both posts.

Suriyasai said Sonthi wanted to avoid criticism after recognising people would disagree if he was appointed as Interior minister, but he still wanted to control the election. Therefore, becoming deputy prime minister in charge of the Interior was the best option for him.

However, as the Interior Minister, Surayud said his major duty was to take care of the next election, by closely working with the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, authorities are considering lifting martial law in more provinces, although it will still be maintained in border provinces like Chiang Mai and Buri Ram, permanent secretary-general of Defence, Winai Phattiyakul said.

The two provinces are strongholds of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and politicians loyal to him.

Winai, also secretary-general of the Council for National Security (CNS), said the junta would discuss whether martial law should be lifted in more provinces ahead of the election, scheduled for December 23.

He said it was likely inner provinces would be allowed to lift martial law first.

ACM Chalit Pookphasuk, the Air Force chief and now also head of the CNS, voiced support for the lifting of martial law in more areas. He said it was the duty of the Cabinet and the National Security Council to decide.

Martial law has been lifted in many areas but retained in most border provinces. Politicians earlier called for a complete lifting of martial law to prepare a free environment for the polls.

Hassaya Chatmontri,

Sucheera Pinijaparakarn,

Panya Tiewsangwan

The Nation