The line-up of Thailand's new cabinet is expected to be submitted for royal endorsement on Wednesday, according to sources in the Pheu Thai Party.
The line-up of the new cabinet is expected to be submitted for royal endorsement on Wednesday, according to sources in the Pheu Thai Party.
The Council of State, the government’s legal arm, has vetted the qualifications of candidates for cabinet posts and sent the list back to the cabinet’s secretariat pending a final check by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra before royal approval is sought, the sources said.
After the new cabinet ministers take their oath of office before His Majesty the King, the new cabinet will hold its first meeting to discuss its policy statement which is expected to be announced before parliament between Sept 11-13, the sources said.
Ms Paetongtarn said on Tuesday that the cabinet list is now ready for royal endorsement and Dr Prommin Lertsuridej, the PM’s secretary-general, will submit the list to the palace. “It is now about procedural matters,” the prime minister said.
She said there will be no honeymoon period for the new government as it has to speed up efforts to tackle various pressing problems.
“We cannot afford to enjoy a honeymoon period. We will have to continue what former prime minister Srettha Thavisin was doing,” she said.
Ms Paetongtarn added that she had instructed party MPs to visit their constituents more frequently to listen to their problems and find ways to help them.
She also confirmed that the digital wallet handout scheme would remain the new government’s flagship policy, despite conceding that some details would need to be adjusted, with changes to include distributing the funds in cash.
The handout scheme, which aims to distribute 10,000 baht via a digital wallet to around 50 million eligible Thais, hangs in the balance following the dismissal of Mr Srettha as prime minister by order of the Constitutional Court.
However, a source previously said the scheme would not be abandoned. Instead, the conditions will be revised to focus more on vulnerable groups with a budget of 122 billion baht.
According to the source, the money can be given out as regular fiat currency via the welfare card initiated during the former Prayut Chan-o-cha government.
Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said yesterday the policy statement that the new government will announce before parliament is similar to that espoused by Mr Srettha.
“It is from the same Pheu Thai-led government,” Mr Phumtham said, adding the new government will push for the implementation of its election pledges, though some details may be adjusted.
“The goal of addressing economic woes remains unchanged,” said Mr Phumtham, who also now serves as the acting prime minister.
Caretaker Deputy Minister of the Interior Chada Thaised said on Tuesday he decided to withdraw his candidacy for a cabinet post under the Bhumjaithai Party quota to allow his daughter Sabeeda Thaised to take the post instead.
Pakorn Nilprapunt, secretary-general of the Council of State, said the secretariat has only asked the council about issues related to the eligibility of those who wish to become cabinet ministers.
The council has not yet seen the cabinet list or vetted the qualifications of candidates for cabinet posts, he said.
