NEW CABINET: Chuwit threatens to expose ministers

Published on February 14, 2005

Maverick says Chat Thai should join the opposition; source says Chavalit to retire

Outspoken Chat Thai Party MP-designate Chuwit Kamolvisit yesterday threatened to “expose” members of the next Thaksin Cabinet to show that they have been appointed not because of their talent but because the prime minister wants to please factions within his party.

Chuwit said he did not believe Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s claim that he would appoint people with outstanding talent and performance records to his new Cabinet after the Election Commission endorses the results of the February 6 election.

“I don’t believe him, so I will expose the backgrounds of members of his next Cabinet to show whether they are really good and talented persons,” Chuwit said.

“He said he would not appoint Cabinet members in line with party factions so we’ll see if he told a lie or not.”

Chuwit said he would like to call on Chat Thai leader Banharn Silapa-archa to make a formal announcement that Chat Thai would work as an opposition party, so that the opposition would have enough House seats to hold no-confidence debates against Cabinet members.

Meanwhile, a source close to Thaksin said the prime minister would appoint Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and former finance minister Thanong Bidaya as deputy prime ministers in the new Cabinet.

The source said Somkid would supervise ministries in charge of collecting revenue while Thanong would supervise the remaining economic ministries. The source said Thaksin initially asked each if they would become finance minister but both declined the offer.

Thaksin will also keep Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisang in the same position in the next Cabinet and will assign him to supervise social ministries, according to the source.

Deputy Prime Minister Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, leader of the Wadah group, will also receive a post even though Wan Noor has said that he does not expect one, as a result of failing to help his group win House seats in the South, the source said.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Thamarak Isarangura will be made a deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs, replacing Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who will retire from politics, the source said.

Deputy Prime Minister Vishanu Krua-ngam will keep his post and still be in charge of legal affairs, the source added.

He said Thaksin might also appoint Pol General Chidchai Vanasatidya, secretary-general of the Office of Narcotics Control Board, as a deputy prime minister in charge of the Interior Ministry and the Royal Thai Police.

Post your comment to this story here