Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has made a last-minute change to the cabinet line-up, dropping controversial figure Capt Thammanat Prompao who was tipped to be labour minister from the list and giving the portfolio to another heavyweight in the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).
The revision was confirmed on Monday by a highly placed source in the PPRP after Gen Prayut on Friday stirred suspicions about the status of Capt Thammanat, a PPRP MP for Phayao, in the government.
"Is it true? Well, since you've made it all up, I'd play along. But what if it isn't true? You should take responsibility because you've made them [the ministers]," Gen Prayut said on Friday when he was asked about his cabinet, which was said to include Capt Thammanat as the labour minister.
Capt Thammanat's background was a cause for concern for Gen Prayut and the coalition partners and his public image issue could have snowballed into a crisis, said the source.
A former Pheu Thai Party list-MP candidate in the Feb 2, 2014 election, Capt Thammanat is a controversial figure previously aligned with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and linked to late former army specialist Gen Trairong Intaratat, better known as "Seh Ice".
Capt Thammanat is also said to be involved in several enterprises including one that is alleged to hold sway over lottery ticket distribution at Bangkok's Klong Toey market.
He switched allegiance and was chief of the PPRP's strategic committee in the North in the March 24 general election.
The source said the removal of Capt Thammanat from the cabinet line-up is unlikely to spark an internal rift similar to the one involving the Sam Mitr group -- a key party faction led by Somsak Thepsuthin and Suriya Jungrungreangkit.
The Sam Mitr faction had threatened to review its ties with the PPRP when reports emerged that Mr Suriya, who had been promised the energy minister post, would swap roles with PPRP secretary-general Sontirat Sontijirawong, who had been tipped to be industry minister.
According to the source, Capt Thammanat is aware of his limitations and does not expect anything more than to be part of the coalition government.
Santi Promphat, former social development and human security minister and a party-list MP, is tipped to take the helm at the labour ministry.
Mr Santi, who also jumped ship from the Pheu Thai Party and was earlier said to have been allocated the deputy finance minister seat, led a group of MP candidates who won handsomely in Phetchabun in the March election.
The deputy finance minister post he was reportedly given would be allocated to Naruemon Pinyosinwat, an economist specialist, instead, according to the source.
Ms Naruemon, said to be the right-hand man of Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who is reportedly behind the welfare smart card scheme and is responsible for several key PPRP policies. She was tipped to be assistant finance minister before the last-minute change.
Meanwhile, Suthin Khlangsaeng, Pheu Thai MP for Maha Sarakham, on Monday said that Gen Prayut should think twice before giving Capt Thammanat a cabinet post.
He said the premier would risk eroding public trust while the government's image would be on the line if he made Capt Thammanat a minister.
On Friday, Gen Prayut said he had submitted his cabinet line-up for royal approval and was expecting the ministers to be sworn in soon.
However, he refused to confirm the line-up reported by the media.