Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Tuesday expressed confidence that Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga's eligibility to serve as a cabinet minister was carefully examined and verified before his appointment.
She was responding to a petition lodged with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on April 23, accusing Mr Pirapan of being ineligible for the post.
According to political activist Sonthiya Sawasdee, the petitioner, Mr Pirapan has been benefiting from the four companies he used to hold shares in despite his transferring these shares to a legal entity managing assets on his behalf.
Mr Sonthiya claimed that was a violation of Section 187 of the constitution, which prohibits cabinet ministers from holding shares in a private company.
The PM also dismissed concerns that she could end up facing the same fate as former premier Srettha Thavisin, who was removed as prime minister by the Constitutional Court last August over an ethical violation relating to his appointment of Pichit Chuenban as a cabinet minister, given Mr Pichit's criminal record.
Before the line-up of this cabinet was submitted for royal endorsement, all proposed appointments were checked by the Secretariat of the Cabinet and other organisations to ensure they were eligible, said the PM.
Ms Paetongtarn said she had not discussed this matter with Mr Pirapan yet, as he took leave from attending the weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
"There shouldn't be a problem because Mr Pirapan must be well aware that he would be scrutinised intensely and prepared for that before his appointment as a cabinet minister, after what happened to Mr Srettha," said the PM.
She dismissed as untrue rumours that a new cabinet shake-up was on the horizon.