CHON BURI - Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday strongly defended his decision to keep retired or active generals in the new cabinet, and add a couple more.
The reshuffle saw all the generals appointed a year ago stay on in the new lineup, just in different positions. In addition, two more top Royal Thai Army officers were added to the list, which was announced on Thursday.
The so-called Prayut 3.0 administration has 14 former and present generals from all military branches -- 15 if the former army chief prime minister is counted.
Soldiers at the 21st Infantry Regiment stand ready for a visit by the prime minister. (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)
"So what when the new cabinet has more generals,'' he angrily retorted to a reporter's question at the 21st Infantry Regiment, Queen's Guard, "What happened with the past (governments) when there were none," he added.
Observers, however, pointed out later that most previous governments, including the former administrations of Yingluck Shinawatra and Abhisit Vejjajiva, had retired top brass in their cabinet ranks.
Gen Prayut did decide, however, to move some top brass out of key ministries and let civilians take over.
ACM Prajin Juntong was moved from transport minister to deputy prime minister. Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn retains his deputy premiership, but passed his foreign minister hat to Don Pramudwinai. ACM Narong Pipatanasai was reassigned from education minister to just deputy prime minister. Commerce Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya will become agriculture minister.
The newcomers in uniform are Gen Anantaporn Kanjanarat, who will be in charge of the Energy Ministry, and Gen Sirichai Distakul as the new labour minister.
Gen Prayut said he hoped for a better image for the government by moving the top brass in charge of the economy out of the ministries to be his deputies.
The prime minister joined an event marking the anniversary of the elite regiment in Chon Buri province. It was formed on Aug 1, 1959 and moved from Bangkok to its new base in the eastern province on July 31, 1968.