Govt house may be ready for new administration

Caretaker Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul inspecting Government House yesterday. People’s Alliance for Democracy protesters occupied the compound for over three months before departing early this month. /Vorawit Pumpuang

Currently, repair works are ongoing in the compounds as MPs are scheduled to elect a new government leader on Monday.

The PM post became vacant after the Constitution Court disbanded the People Power Party and banned its executives including thenprime minister Somchai Wongsawat from pol¬itics for five years.

Following the ban, antigov¬ernment protesters ended their monthslong protest inside the Government House com¬pounds.

Asked whether the Government House revamp will be completed fast enough for the new government to move in right away, Caretaker Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul yesterday said, "We are trying to do that. As far as we see, there's not much damage to the buildings. There is some damage to furniture pieces. But I believe the repair and revamp should be com¬pleted in time".

Loyleuan Bunnag, deputy secretary general to the Prime Minister, said if the revamp was not completed in time, the new Cabinet members could work from temporary government offices inside Don Mueang Airport. The Somchailed gov¬ernment worked there during the Government House block¬ade.

Loyleuan has already scheduled Big Cleaning Day for Government House to take place sooner than initially planned - on December 19.

"We will also hold a meritmaking ceremony on this day to invite auspiciousness and to boost the morale of government officials working at Government House," he said.

Earlier this week, Loyleuan said the ceremony would take place on December 26.