Abhisit admits Cabinet has an image problem

Speaking to reporters at the Democrat Party head office, Abhisit said he was willing to heed criticism against his government.

He said he was aware that the Cabinet line-up fell short of many people's expectations but he had met several business groups to explain to them his constraints in Cabinet formation.

"I'll do my best to monitor the points of concern and I affirm that I'll work with integrity by taking the country's crises into account. I've made my decision on the Cabinet line-up based on the need for political stability so that the government can start working immediately," Abhisit said.

He said he had told Cabinet members with little experience to form good teams to assist their work.

Abhisit said he would not tolerate corruption by any Cabinet member.

The Democrat leader denied that there was an influential "Gang of Four" who had dictated the Cabinet line-up under the Democrat quota.

"The Democrat has no Gang of Four. When I saw newspaper headlines this morning, I could not figure out who were the four being referred to," Abhisit said.

The reports quoted Chalermchai Sri-on, a Democrat deputy leader, as saying that the Gang of Four was behind the line-up of the Democrat's ministers.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, the Democrat secretary-general, said yesterday that he and Abhisit were the only two influential persons in the party because of their top positions.

"We have no Gang of Four," Suthep said, when asked whether the four were PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai, Democrat deputy leader Siriwan Prassajaksattru and Democrat deputy secretary-general Anchalee Wanit Theppabutr.

He said the selection of Democrat ministers was done in line with the party procedures and was considered by the party's executive board.

Sathit yesterday denied the reports, saying "we only have gang of 166 MPs".

Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai also denied yesterday that the party was under the influence of financiers.

He said the Democrat Party will not allow any financier to have a role in management.

Chuan said it was normal to have internal conflicts over the sharing of Cabinet seats because the number of positions was limited.

When asked whether he would try to reach an understanding with problematic members of the party, Abhisit said he would not call dissatisfied Democrats as "problematic members".

He said he had talked and reached an understanding with nearly all of them.