Cabinet Reshuffle: PM Planning ‘big’ Shake-up

[george]

CABINET RESHUFFLE: PM planning ‘big’ shake-up

Somkid expected to return to finance; Interior minister faces anxious wait

BANGKOK: Embattled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is likely to effect a drastic Cabinet shake-up this week, with Somkid Jatusripitak widely expected to make a return as finance minister, high-ranking sources said yesterday.

There was strong speculation that Wan Muhamad Noor Matha would also be removed as interior minister. In that event, Deputy Prime Ministers Bhokin Bhalakula and Vishanu Krua-ngam would be strong candidates to replace him, while Wan Noor would remain in the Cabinet as a deputy prime minister.

Defence Minister Thamarak Isarangura was also expected to be dropped from the Cabinet and replaced by Science Minister Chetta Thanajaro, a former Army chief.

Finance Minister Suchart Jaovisidha, if kept in the Cabinet, would likely swap positions with Somkid, whom he replaced in a previous reshuffle.

“I’m prepared for anything – to stay or go,” Suchart told reporters yesterday. “I’m not holding on to it [my position] and will respect any decision made by the prime minister.”

The sources said Thaksin had contemplated appointing ex-Somkid adviser Olarn Chaipravat, one of Asia’s leading experts on international finance and economics, as finance minister but eventually dropped the idea.

Sources attributed Suchart’s imminent departure to the downturn in the stock market. Meanwhile, Somkid has apparently mended his troubled relations with Thaksin with good performances over key state policies and his management of the bird-flu crisis.

Thamarak and Wan Noor have been criticised for failing to calm the volatile situation in the far South.

Confusion reigned yesterday as to whether a reshuffle list had been completed and submitted to His Majesty the King for royal approval. Several radio stations reported that the list had been sent to the Royal Palace but there was no official confirmation.

Other possible changes include the removal of Chamlong Iamchaengphan as deputy public health minister and the appointment of Sutham Saengprathum, who is assigned to lead the Thai Rak Thai Party’s assault on the Democrats’ southern stronghold in the next election, as deputy education minister.

Incumbent Deputy Education Minister Sirikorn Maneerin was expected to replace Chamlong as deputy public health minister.

It could not be confirmed if Natural Resources and Environ-ment Minister Prapat Panyacha-traksa would be dropped. There had been talk he would be replaced by Deputy PM Suwit Khunkitti.

Still unknown was whether Chat Pattana leader Suwat Liptapanlop, whose party was dumped from the coalition last November, is included in the reshuffle plan. The reshuffle news coincides with speculation Thaksin is renewing efforts to merge Chat Pattana with his ruling Thai Rak Thai in order to boost his chances of winning 400 seats in the next poll.

--The Nation 2004-03-09

[snowleopard]

Wan Noor would remain in the Cabinet as a deputy prime minister.

How many deputy premiers do the tax-payers have to feed nowadays?

It's a never-ending saga with the same talking-heads who're joining hands and dancing a perpetual ring-dance with their corrupt cronies while changing positions and parties ad infinitum and ad nauseam!

Snowleopard.

[george]

Follow-up:

CABINET RESHUFFLE: South, censure dictate changes

BANGKOK: -- Changes are as much about deflecting opposition attacks as improving the performance of the government, critics charge

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s sweeping Cabinet changes – his eighth reshuffle since coming to power seem to have been largely motivated by the three months of unabated trouble in Thailand’s deep South.

But analysts believe the shakeup, expected to be officially announced today, is not just about improving efficiency. Political pundits and the opposition view it as a tactic to blunt the next censure debate, which will surely focus on the situation in the South as well as the Finance Ministry, the epicentre of conflictofinterest charges plaguing the government.

By removing Finance Minister Suchart Jaovisidha, Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Noor Matha and Defence Minister Thamarak Isarangura, the opposition may get confused about who and which ministry it should target in the next noconfidence campaign.

The changes at the Interior and Defence ministries show Thaksin acknowledges the security and political magnitude of the crisis in the South. Yet observers have raised eyebrows over the decision to replace Wan Noor with Deputy Prime Minister Bhokin Bhalakula, a legal expert who may not have enough clout to lead a major ministry at such a turbulent and sensitive time, despite his political experience and shrewdness.

At the same time, Science Minister Chetta Thanajaro, a former Army chief, looks like an appropriate replacement for Thamarak, who has reportedly had trouble working with the military and whose handling of the crisis in the South has been blamed by some for the declining popularity of Thai Rak Thai in the four southernmost provinces.

That Chetta once had close links with the Democrats would work in Thai Rak Thai’s favour when it comes to a censure showdown, analysts said.

The opposition party believes Thaksin shook up his Cabinet this time with the next noconfidence debate in mind. “When you look at the ministries affected by this reshuffle, it’s so obvious,” said Sanan Kachornprasart, poll director of the Democrat Party.

Apart from Wan Noor and Thamarak, Sanan noted the opposition had its sights on Deputy Education Minister Sirikorn Maneerin, who was involved in the embarrassing flaws in the Rajabhat bill.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Prapat Panyachatraksa, who is likely to be dumped from the Cabinet, has also been a major target for grilling, he said.

Somkid’s return to the Finance Ministry, meanwhile, is open for various interpretations. Some observers believe Suchart, apart from his impressive taxcollection record, has upset Thaksin on other key issues such as how to boost the stock market and the privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.

Somkid, on the other hand, seems to have mended his troubled relations with Thaksin and, as deputy prime minister, restored his mentor’s trust with good performances on macroeconomic programmes.

Investors and foreign analysts have played down the economic impact of the backandforth changes at the Finance Ministry, since they believe Thaksin would still be the man pulling the strings.

But on the local scene, there were rumblings of criticism that another major reshuffle could affect the continuity of government work.

The Democrats dub it a “musical chairs” Cabinet.

“I don’t think anyone can remember who has served in which ministry and how many changes have been made,” said Anek Laothammathat, deputy Democrat leader.

--The Nation 2004-03-10

[george]

Thai Leader Replaces Key Ministers

BANGKOK: -- Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has reshuffled his cabinet, replacing his interior, defense and finance ministers.

The new cabinet was Wednesday after the constitutional monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, endorsed the move.

The overhaul comes amid mounting criticism against the government over its handling of a bird flu outbreak, ethnic violence in the Muslim south and the proposed privatization of government-owned firms.

In the new lineup, Chetta Thanajaro, a former army chief, was named defense minister.

Former Defense Minister Thamarak Isarangura was moved into the post of deputy prime minister.

Another Deputy Prime Minister, Bhokin Bhalakula, has been named interior minister, replacing Wan Muhamad Noor Matha. Muhamad also received a deputy prime minister post in the cabinet.

Analysts say Muhamad and Thamarak were removed from their posts after a spate of violence in southern Thailand that has left dozens dead since January.

Analysts and some politicians believe the violence may be a sign of the rekindling of a separatist movement in the nation's south.

In another shift, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has become the new Thai finance minister, replacing Suchart Jaovisidha who also becomes a deputy prime minister.

Somkid is no stranger to the finance portfolio, having served as finance minister for two years until early in 2003.

No ministers were were moved over the government's handling of the bird flu outbreak, which has killed at least seven people in Thailand and devastated the nation's poultry industry.

Bangkok was accused of covering up the epidemic for weeks -- a move that critics say hampered efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.

However, the agriculture minister and his deputy kept their jobs.

--CNN 2004-03-10

[george]

HM the King swears in Thaksin’s new ministers

BANGKOK: His Majesty the King yesterday signed a Royal Command to appoint 10 ministers in the latest Cabinet reshuffle.

In his speech to the new ministers during the swearingin ceremony at Klaikangwon Palace in Hua Hin, His Majesty told them to work with integrity as they had given an oath.

His Majesty also said the ministers should work hard for the benefit of the public.

“Although many of you merely changed portfolios, you should work with the honesty you have sworn to,” he said.

The 10 ministers in the seventh Cabinet reshuffle of this government include two new faces: Science Minister Korn Dabbaransi and Deputy Education Minister Sutham Saengprathum.

Defence Minister Chettha Thanajaro, who was transferred from the post of science minister, said he was happy to head the Defence Ministry.

He said he knew more about the workings of the Defence Ministry than the workings of the Science Ministry.

Chettha added that he would continue the work of his predecessor in dealing with the troubled deep South.

Meanwhile, Thai Rak Thai sources said several party MPs were not happy to see Bhokin Bhalakula replacing Wan Muhamad Noor Matha as interior minister.

Although MPs regard Bhokin as a good and capable person, they do not believe he is suitable for the post, according to the sources.

--The Nation 2004-03-11

[ovenman]

In another shift, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has become the new Thai finance minister, replacing Suchart Jaovisidha who also becomes a deputy prime minister.

Somkid is no stranger to the finance portfolio, having served as finance minister for two years until early in 2003.

The shill returns to the finance ministry! Perhaps he can make another proclamation or three about how Thailand will become a fully-developed nation in the year 2004?