Armed forces commanders are now working on the mid-year military reshuffle, due in April, with seniority, knowledge and ability the criteria in deciding promotions and transfers, supreme commander Gen Worapong Sanganetr said on Monday.
Speaking after a meeting with the senior-most armed forces commanders, he said Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon had set down the policy and guidelines to be followed.
The supreme commander declined to comment when asked if active military officers concurrently holding ministerial posts would be transferred to interim positions pending their retirement.
That was a matter for the government and the National Council for Peace and Order to decide, Gen Worapong said.
There are four active military officers holding ministerial posts in the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
They are Gen Chatchai Sarikulya, the deputy army chief (concurrently commerce minister); Gen Paiboon Koomchaya, the deputy supreme commander (justice minister); Gen Surachet Chaiwong, chief of staff officers attached to the army chief (education minister); and Gen Udomdej Sitabutr, the army chief (deputy defence minister). The four are due to retire in September this year.
Sources said Gen Prayut and Gen Prawit, who is also defence minister, had not ordered the transfer of the four officers holding cabinet posts.
The mid-year reshuffle list of the armed forces is required to be submitted to the defence minister by the middle of this month, so the prime minister can forward it to His Majesty the King for endorsement by April 1.