Focus on Cabinet Seats

The Cabinet is expected to be sworn in this weekend and deliver its policy statement on December 26.The Democrats will get around 20 ministerial seats, while the coalition parties will retain most of the portfolios they held previously.

The core party clings to a principle that every decision has to be made by party executives. The party decided to allocate five posts for deputy leaders in charge of each region, one for the secretary-general, three for non-MPs, three for outsiders, while the other nine would be allocated to each region, depending on seniority and ability.

Abhisit may take up the Education portfolio, as he was once in charge of education. Secretary-general and party "kingmaker" Suthep Thaugsuban is expected to be Interior Minister and a Deputy PM. Jurin Laksanavisit, a party deputy leader, is expected to be Deputy PM in charge of Social Affairs. MR Chatu Mongkol Sonakul, a former Bank of Thailand governor, is expected to be Deputy PM in charge of Economic Affairs.

The Finance Minister is expected to be either Korn Chatikavanij or Korbsak Sabhavasu. Thavorn Sennium is tipped to be Justice Minister, while Khunying Kalaya Sophon-panich is expected to be Science minister.

Top candidate for the Defence portfolio is Gen Pravit Wongsuwan, a former Army chief. An outsider is likely to be Foreign minister. Kraisak Choonhavan is expected to be Social Development and Human Security Minister, while Thira Salakpetch is favoured to be Public Health Minister.

Sathit Wongnongtoey is expected to be PM's Office Minister in charge of Media.

Nipon Promphan is expected to be secretary-general for the PM, while Siriwan Pratsachak-satru is seen as the deputy secretary general.

Newin Chidchob's group will get five seats - Transport, another ministry, and three deputy ministers posts: Transport, Agriculture, and Interior. Newin's father and House Speaker Chai Chidchob and former secretary-general of Samak Sundaravej Thirapol Noprampha are candidates for the Transport portfolio.

Chart Thai Pattana will get four seats, with one being a deputy PM, one Agriculture Minister, Tourism and Sports Minister, and deputy Transport Minister.

Puea Pandin will get three seats consisting of Information and Communications Technology, deputy Finance, and deputy Interior Minister, though the party is trying to get one more seat in exchange for the Industry portfolio.

However, it faces some problems as the party is split into two camps.

Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana will get the Energy Minister and deputy Finance Minister for Pradit Pattaraprasit. Bhum Jai Thai (formerly Matchima Thipataya) may get the Natural Resources and Environment portfolio, and Commerce Minister.

Apart from the difficult job of forming a government, the new PM is also left with the tricky task of preventing conflictsy.