Yingluck plays it safe

No reds in Cabinet as govt tries to please critics and avoid confrontation

Prime Minister Yingluck Shina-watra's Cabinet line-up, which got royal endorsement last night, has been described by political observers as acceptable.

It appears that the ruling Pheu Thai Party has tried to please critics while also avoiding political confrontation. No red-shirt leader figures in the Cabinet.

Former deputy House speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai, the only red-shirt leader left in the shortlist of Cabinet candidates, was earlier tipped to become the education minister. But after that seat went to another party figure, he said he did not want to be a deputy prime minister either. He said he was "not good at it".

At 5.30pm today, Yingluck is scheduled to lead members of the new Cabinet for an audience with His Majesty the King for a swearing-in ceremony at Siriraj Hospital.

Earlier in the day, at 2.30pm, the new Cabinet members are scheduled to gather at Government House for a group photo session.

Judging from the line-up, the new premier appears to have taken the safe road by not including any red-shirt leaders in her Cabinet. However, some of the would-be Cabinet members are not so well known and others are close to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is the new PM's elder brother.

The business community welcomed the appointments of Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala as finance minister and Kittirat na Ranong as commerce minister. Thirachai has already resigned as secretary-general of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Kittirat has served as president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

Business sources praised Kittirat and Thirachai for their depth of experience and impressive track records.

A source said Thirachai had worked at the Bank of Thailand while Kittirat was flexible and could coordinate effectively with the private sector. However, the source questioned Kittirat's ability to tackle macroeconomic issues due to his lack of experience in the area.

A possible controversial figure in the new Cabinet is outspoken veteran politician Chalerm Yoobamrung, who will be the deputy prime minister in charge of police affairs. Chalerm had once threatened to transfer state officials who angered him.

Regarding security-related posts, political pundits gave the nod to Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha. A permanent secretary for defence and deputy defence minister in a Thaksin government, Yuthasak is described as a compromising and non-confrontational person, and is expected to work well with the leadership of the armed forces.

On the social front, the jury is still out. Most of the Cabinet seats for security affairs have been filled by Pheu Thai figures. They are expected to implement the party's promised policies such as distributing tablet computers to schoolchildren and raising the daily minimum wage to Bt300.

These include Woravat Auapinya-kul, who will be the education minister, and Phadermchai Sasomsap, who takes the Labour portfolio. Woravat is close to Thaksin's sister Yaowapa Wongsawat, while Phadermchai is close to Thaksin.

Cabinet seats under the Pheu Thai quota are mostly shared among the factions headed by Thaksin, his ex-wife Pojaman na Pombejra, Yaowapa, Sudarat Keyuraphan and Yingluck.

Of the 30 seats under the Pheu Thai quota, 21 - including the PM's seat - are split among the Shinawatra family's factions, with 14 selected by Thaksin and his ex-wife, four by Yaowapa and two by Yingluck.

The remaining seats were divvied up among MPs from the regions - five from the Northeast, four from the Central region and one from Bangkok.