PM defends appointment of PAD man Prapan

The premier was mobbed by a crowd of Government House reporters who bombarded him with questions about the matter.

Abhisit said Prapan has been part of a Democrat Party working group and worked for the party for some time.

However, when asked about Prapan's background in science and technology, the prime minister paused for a moment before saying "he is somewhat knowledgeable".

He rejected claims Prapan's appointment was a reward for the PAD. "Nobody has got any reward. Everybody is joining the government simply to work," he said.

Abhisit said that political appointees, like ministerial advisers and secretaries, worked for particular Cabinet members and had no role making political moves.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is the Democrats' secretary-general, said Prapan was appointed because he was a Democrat member, not because he was from the PAD.

Suthep said Prapan, like a few other non-executive Democrats, took part in PAD rallies out of their own political conscience.

Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam, who is also from the Democrat Party, said yesterday that Prapan qualified for the post as he was a party candidate, capable, and agreed to do the job.

Jatuporn Promphan, an MP from the opposition Pheu Thai Party and a leader of the "red shirts" or Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, said it seemed Abhisit was rewarding people close to the PAD by offering them political jobs.

Prapan was the second PAD man after Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to be a political appointee, he said.

"It's too bad that this government appointed people involved in airport seizures as their colleagues," Jatuporn said, referring to the PAD's takeover of Bangkok's two airports late last year.

He said the latest move would "certainly accelerate" a major rally by the DAAD "red shirts".

The Cabinet meeting yesterday considered new political appointments, mostly by the Democrat Party.

Some Cabinet members expressed concern Prapan's appointment as the science minister's adviser might cause the government to be criticised, according to a source. However, Suthep insisted he could defend the appointment and argued that Prapan's work would not be political.

Pichet Pattanachote, a former election candidate for the Democrats, who regularly joined PAD rallies, also was on the list of political appointees. He was proposed as an adviser to the public health minister.

But the Cabinet could not endorse his appointment as Pichet is a member of the Political Development Council and therefore is prohibited by law from taking a political appointment.

Pichet said later he would resign as a member of the council, if that was necessary.

Meanwhile, former premier General Surayud Chulanont suggested to PM Abhisit that politicians with tolerance and honesty were needed to run the country and ensure political reconciliation.