Chai to present to HM the King name of new PM this afternoon

Chai is expected to be granted an audience with HM the King at Klai Kangwon Palace at Hua Hin to get royal endorsement for Somchai.

Somchai who is elected by the Parliament to the job on Wednesday will wait at his residence to accept the appointment in a ceremony.

Meanwhile People Power Party deputy secretarygeneral Sukhumpong Ngonkham said new Cabinet line up is expected to to be submitted for royal endorsement by Monday.

He said the Cabinet line up under quota of the PPP would be changed by four to five positions, mostly to fill seats left vacant by former ministers who no longer want to be ministers.

They included former prime minister and defence minster Samak Sundaravej, former deputy prime minister Sahas Banthitkul and caretaker deputy prime minister and finance minister Surapong Suebwonglee.

He said it was possible that the posts of foreign minister and finance minister would be given to nonMPs and Prime Ministerelect Somchai Wongsawat may concurrently hold the post of defence minister.

Caretaker Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said he won't take a cabinet post in the new government because of a pending court case against him.

"I will not work with the new government,'' Surapong said in Bangkok today. "I have a court case pending.''