Thaksin To Line Up New Cabinet "soon"

[george]

New line-up could be ready ‘in a few days’

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday that he would complete modest changes to the Cabinet line-up within a few days.

Thaksin’s statement came amid criticism that he had put off a Cabinet reshuffle to delay the harsh reality that he cannot remove Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit.

Thaksin said he needed a few more days of discussions within the party before deciding whom he would offer Cabinet posts.

“If I approach someone and the party then rejects the candidate, it would not be right,’’ he said.

A ministerial restructuring is also underway and will be implemented in March [next year], Thaksin said. He denied the reshuffle would occur at the same time.

Thaksin declined to say if he would ask Commerce Minister Thanong Bidaya to step down.

Thanong has said he wants to continue his work at the ministry to reverse the trade deficit.

The prime minister said he wanted Thanong to improve the country’s information database but added that he has been quite slow in implementing changes.

Thaksin said the scandal surrounding the purchase of bomb scanners for the new airport would not influence his decisions in the Cabinet reshuffle.

--The Nation 2005-07-28