Thorough background checks will be conducted on candidates for cabinet posts to ensure they meet requirements stipulated by law and avoid any legal wrangling that could land the new government in trouble, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said.
Ms Paetongtarn made the comments on Monday when she was at the National Defence College, where she is enrolled in an intensive programme for new executives.
She said she expected the leaders of the ruling alliance, comprising the Pheu Thai Party, of which she is the leader, and ten others, to reach an agreement this week on forming the new cabinet.
Ms Paetongtarn, the 37-year-old youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin, was elected by members of the House of Representatives on Friday. She won overwhelming support from the House of Representatives to become the country's 31st prime minister without competition. She is the country's youngest prime minister.
She said that Pheu Thai key figures met on Monday to discuss the party's ministerial candidates and that she would also hold talks with other key members on Tuesday.
According to Thai media reports, she has not promised to retain all cabinet members appointed by the Srettha government.
Ms Paetongtarn also emphasised the need to run thorough background checks on candidates for ministerial posts to avoid future trouble.
"The qualifications of those who will become cabinet ministers must be inspected carefully to avoid any mistakes," Ms Paetongtarn said, referring to what happened to her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin.
"Everyone is concerned about the issue," she said. "It will take less than a month to form a cabinet."
Mr Srettha was dismissed from office by the Constitutional Court on Aug 14 for an ethics violation for appointing ex-convict Pichit Chuenban as a PM's Office minister.
Ms Paetongtarn said the Council of State, the government's legal arm, will be asked to check the qualifications of ministerial candidates, but coalition allies should also screen candidates first before submitting the lists of individuals chosen for cabinet posts.
She also denied reports that Pheu Thai would take back the interior minister post held by Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul in the previous government.
Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said Pheu Thai had asked coalition partners to send their selections for cabinet office to the prime minister's secretary-general, Prommin Lertsuridej, for submission to the Council of State so their qualifications can be checked to avert any potential legal wrangle.
In light of the Constitutional Court's ruling in the Srettha case, Mr Phumtham said that the Council of State and the cabinet secretariat must carefully and thoroughly check the qualifications of ministerial candidates. He said the coalition parties are expected to submit the lists of ministerial candidates to the PM's secretary-general on Tuesday.
When asked whether the quotas of cabinet posts held by the coalition allies in the previous government would remain unchanged, Mr Phumtham only said the prime minister would discuss the matter with them.
According to sources, caretaker Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow could also be subject to qualification checks if he is to be appointed as a cabinet minister in the new administration, given his conviction and incarceration for a drug-related offence in Australia during the 1990s.
