The final cabinet reshuffle list has already been signed off by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and submitted for royal endorsement, according a Government House source. The PM, however, remains tight-lipped about the matter.
After the coalition parties submitted the names of new cabinet ministers in their quota to Mr Srettha on Thursday, the Secretariat of the Cabinet on Friday ran a check to ensure all the names submitted were qualified to be appointed, said the source.
After the line-up was verified, the PM submitted the list for royal endorsement the same day. Mr Srettha on Saturday morning avoided saying whether he had already submitted the cabinet reshuffle list, saying the answer would be known when the list is royally endorsed.
According to another source, the reshuffle list underwent last-minute changes before it was submitted. One is a position swap between Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsupakitkosol and Culture Minister Sermsak Pongpanich.
The source cited Ms Sudawan's failure to control the Ministry of Tourism and Sports officials to work more in accordance with the government's tourism policies as a reason for this swap. "This ministry is also seen as a key player in the government's soft power promotion policy and Mr Sermsak is trusted to do the job instead," said the source.
Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) had proposed two names for a new appointment as deputy agriculture and cooperatives minister, Anun Ponumnuay, an MP for Kamphaeng Phet, and Artthakorn Sirilatthayakorn, an MP for Chachoengsao, said another source.
The PPRP has one more quota slot which initially was meant to be a deputy commerce minister; but the party asked to change it to a deputy agriculture and cooperatives minister's position instead. The change was the idea of Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow, also PPRP secretary-general, who aims for absolute control of this ministry.
Meanwhile, the United Thai Nation Party has resolved to trade the position of a deputy agriculture and cooperatives minister, which is currently held by Anucha Nakasai, for a deputy commerce minister's position to which the party has nominated list-MP Suchart Chomklin, said a source.
All in all, the final cabinet reshuffle list sees seven new faces appointed, while four current cabinet ministers lose their position, according sources familiar with the matter.
Pichai Chunhavajira, former chairman of the Stock Exchange of Thailand and adviser to the prime minister, emerges as new finance minister, while Paopoom Rojanasakul, secretary to the finance minister, is picked as a new deputy finance minister.
This will mean the Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for pushing to implement the government's controversial 500-billion-baht digital wallet handout scheme, will have three deputy ministers. Pheu Thai Party leader Jiraporn Sindhuprai, who was previously tipped to become either new deputy agriculture and cooperative minister or deputy commerce minister, was eventually picked as a new PM's Office minister, according to these sources.
Pichit Chuenban, an adviser to the prime minister and Thaksin's former lawyer, will become another new PM's Office minister, while Mr Artthakorn will become a new deputy agriculture and cooperatives minister, and Mr Suchart a new deputy commerce minister.
With also Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee becoming a PM's Office minister, there will be all three PM's Office ministers in the new cabinet line-up. The four ministers who will subsequently lose their jobs in this shake-up are Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew, Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chaiya Promma, PM's Office Minister Puangpet Chunlaiad and Mr Anucha.