The new ministers

Juti graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from Australia before embarking on his political career as secretary to his father when Kosol was commerce minister. Juti is a four-time MP from Phitsanulok province. He first stood for election in 1988 under the banner of the Democrat Party and has remained with the party ever since. He is known for being well versed in economic issues, having served as secretary to finance minister Tarrin Nimmanhaeminda for four years during the country's economic recovery from the "Tom Yum Kung" financial crisis. Juti was the Democrats' shadow deputy finance minister when in opposition, second to Korn Chatikavanij, who is now finance minister

Dr Man Pattanothai is a former deputy premier and ICT minister under the Somchai Wongsawat government in 2008. He earned a doctorate in economics at Kensington University in the United States in 1979. Man was a Rassadorn Party MP for Samut Prakan before taking the post of deputy leader of Puea Pandin Party. Man decided to resurrect the Rassadorn Party, which was renamed Matubhum Party after having a serious conflict with the Payanak faction in the Puea Pandin Party, over a move to support Pracha Promnok as a candidate to be PM.

Nipit Intarasombat, the Democrat Party MP for Phattalung, was born on April 30, 1957. He earned a master's degree from Thammasat University before starting a career as a lawyer.

A seven-time MP, he was elected initially in 1992. Nipit was chosen by the Democrat Party as shadow PM's Office minister in 2008. A close aide to the party's chief adviser - former PM Chuan Leekpai, Nipit accused the party late last year of inappropriately appointing Virachai Virameteekul as PM's Office minister in its ministerial quota in return for a donation to the party from Virachai. Upset at not being in the Cabinet line-up, Nipit vowed to pay Virachai Bt500 each month for the Bt80 million he said the party had received from the MP.

Ong-art Klampaiboon, Bangkok MP, was a secretary and adviser to former public health minister Marut Bunnag from 1983-86. He was also personal secretary to Chuan Leekpai during his first term as prime minister, and secretary to former foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan during Chuan's second term as PM. Prior to the Abhisit administration, Ong-art was party spokesman and a shadow PM's Office minister with responsibility for media matters.

Chalermchai Sri-on has replaced Phaithoon Kaeothong as Labour minister. Chalermchai is a deputy leader of the Democrat Party. He made headlines in May last year when he demanded a Cabinet seat at a party seminar on Koh Samui. Chalermchai said he should receive a ministerial post because he controls 12 MPs from the Central region. After dropping that bombshell, reports surfaced that Chalermchai would lead his group of MPs to defect to another party, which prompted core party leaders to pacify him. Eventually, he got a Cabinet post.

Chalermchai, 45, has been elected three times in Prachuap Khiri Khan. He was involved in local politics for 10 years before making his debut as an MP for the southern province in 2001.

Chaiyot Chiramethakorn, who became a deputy Education minister, is seen as a "dark horse" in the new Cabinet. A Puea Pandin Party MP, he met Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at the Democrat Party head office after three ministers in Puea Pandin were removed from the Cabinet. The three ministers were kicked out after Puea Pandin MPs voted against two ministers of the Bhum Jai Thai Party in the censure debate. After meeting with Chaiyot, Abhisit appointed him as a Cabinet member.

Before joining the Puea Pandin, Chaiyot, 50, used to be a Democrat MP. He used to hold several political positions, including the post of deputy PM's secretary-general and secretary to several ministers.

Chaiyot made his debut as an MP in 1988. He made headlines two years ago when he held a press conference to attack then deputy interior minister Prasong Kositanon in his own party. It turned out he attacked Prasong to pressure him to resign so he could get the Cabinet seat. But he has had to wait until now to get a ministerial post.

Veerachai Veerametheekul was born on July 8, 1967. He earned an MBA from Clark University in the US and a doctorate from Chulalongkorn. He embarked on a career as a lecturer at Chulalongkorn in 1990, and taught for four years before moving to the private sector to do management work for TM International and Business Development Bank. He was elected as a party-list MP in Bangkok in 2001 and appointed as first deputy House speaker in 2003. He served as vice minister in several ministries including agriculture, finance and foreign.