BANGKOK, Thailand – Following the official appointment as Thailand’s 31st Prime Minister of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the new premier has announced that she will work with coalition parties to finalize the formation of her Cabinet within this week.
Paetongtarn emphasized that the vetting process for Cabinet members will be more rigorous than in the past, aiming to prevent any potential issues that could arise later.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn expressed her gratitude to the representatives who supported her and assured that she would perform her duties to the best of her abilities. She acknowledged the efforts of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and mentioned that the details of her administration’s policies would be clarified after the official Royal Endorsement.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that discussions about the allocation of ministerial positions, including the involvement of new and returning members, would continue over the next few days, with the aim of completing the process within a week. This thorough vetting is particularly important following recent legal challenges faced by her predecessor, necessitating extra caution in the selection process.
Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, confirmed that coalition parties are expected to submit their candidate lists soon, and these will undergo a stringent vetting process. He also noted that the coalition parties would likely maintain their previously agreed-upon quotas for ministerial positions, but the final decision rests with the Prime Minister.
Phumtham also addressed speculation about his position, stating that he is content with his current role as Minister of Commerce and has no intention of switching to the Ministry of Interior. The decision on whether the Palang Pracharath Party will join the coalition government is yet to be finalized. (NNT)
