Kasit promises no PAD influence

The PAD, which organised massive rallies against the previous governments of Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat, also yesterday denied it had lobbied for the appointment of the Democrat member.

PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila said the group would scrutinise Kasit's performance, possibly more intensely than other Cabinet members, in order to prevent any inference they were allies.

Kasit said he had attended PAD rallies because he agreed with the alliance's campaign against corruption. He said he and PAD co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul enjoyed mutual respect and that Sondhi had played no part in his appointment to the Cabinet.

"Sondhi is not my father, and he is not the father of the Democrat Party; we respect one another," he said.

Kasit said Thailand would run an ethical foreign policy untainted by personal business interests like those of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"From now on, there will be no personal business dealings on the side. This government will not mix business and politics," Kasit told an academic conference.

"We shall have no [personal] business deals with the junta; we shall observe human-rights and environmental concerns; we shall treat Burmese as we do Thais."