Thailand’s king has formally endorsed members of a new Cabinet, paving the way for a government headed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to take office more than three months after the general election.
Srettha, representing the Pheu Thai party, was named prime minister by Parliament on Aug. 22. A prominent real estate developer until officially entering politics last year, he will also hold the finance minister’s post.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn issued his royal approval on Friday.
The delay in forming a new government was caused by Parliament’s failure to endorse a coalition formed by the party that won the most seats in the May polls, the Move Forward party. It could not win a majority in a combined vote of the House of Representatives and the Senate because its progressive platform alienated members of the conservative Senate, who singled out its support for minor reforms to the monarchy as the reason for rejecting it.
The Pheu Thai Party, which placed second in the election, then formed a broader coalition without Move Forward and was able to win Senate support. But it succeeded only by including pro-military parties from the last government to join its coalition, reneging on a promise during its election campaign.
Related K.C. Hwang, AP's bureau chief in Seoul for 30 years, dies at age 99 Scholz dismisses talk of keeping nuclear energy option open in Germany Russia says it thwarted attacks on Crimea bridge, which was briefly closed for a third time
Pheu Thai is backed by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup in 2006. Thaksin, a billionaire populist, fled Thailand in 2008 to avoid prison on charges he said were politically motivated, but returned to Thailand on Aug. 22 to serve an eight-year prison term. It was announced Friday that the king has commuted his sentence to one year.
Six members of the new Cabinet hold the prestigious deputy prime minister jobs, three of them Srettha’s colleagues in the Pheu Thai party. Three deputy prime ministers also hold major second portfolios.
Phumtham Wechayachai and Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara of Pheu Thai were appointed the ministers of commerce and foreign affairs, respectively. Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party, which holds the third highest numbers of seats in the lower house, was named interior minister.
Anutin was public health minister in the previous military-backed government of Prayuth Chan-ocha and is best known for spearheading the decriminalization of cannabis.
The new agriculture minister is Thammanat Prompao. of the Palang Pracharath Party, who served as deputy agriculture minister in the last government. He is an influential political figure in northern Thailand who was convicted and jailed in Australia in 1994 in connection with heroin smuggling.
More about AP Thailand Pheu Thai Thaksin Shinawatra Anutin Charnvirakul Bangkok Cabinet Maha Vajiralongkorn Senate Parliament House of Representatives Australia
1/ 1Thailand's king approves a new Cabinet more than 3 months after elections
Thailand's king approves a new Cabinet more than 3 months after elections Thailand Politics
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Promoted stories
investing.com
They Fell In Love On Set And No One Knewinvesting.com| Sponsored Sponsored
Undo
Back Pain Treatment | Search Ads
Singapore: Back And Shoulder Pain Treatments - Prices Might Surprise YouSee Prices HereBack Pain Treatment | Search Ads| Sponsored Sponsored
Learn More
Undo
TopNews
Tiger Woods' Ex-wife is Almost 50 And Time Has Not Been Kind To HerTopNews| Sponsored Sponsored
Undo
Coolsculpting | Search ads
Singapore: Belly Fat Removal Without Surgery. The Cost Might Surprise YouCoolsculpting | Search ads| Sponsored Sponsored
Undo
www.refrigerators-51286.com | Search ad
Singapore: Refrigerators For Sale, Almost Free! See Pricewww.refrigerators-51286.com | Search ad| Sponsored Sponsored
Click Here
Undo
Outbyte Driver Updater
Most Computer Owners Don't Know This. Do It Today!This Could Be the Most Important Tip You Read This YearOutbyte Driver Updater| Sponsored Sponsored
Click Here
Undo
Facial Lift
Rejuvenate Naturally: Non-Surgical Face LiftsSee Prices Here!Facial Lift| Sponsored Sponsored
Learn More
Undo
Hair’s Rich
This "Japan's hair growth gel" is hot-selling at WatsonsHair’s Rich| Sponsored Sponsored
Learn More
Undo
culture Kanye West and Bianca Censori banned from Venice boat company over ‘transgressions’
Undo
culture Emma Stone receives praise for ‘fearless’ sex scenes in Poor Things
Undo
Trump hits back at push to ban him from 2024 race as Truth Social future looms – live news
Undo
Promoted by Independent Premium
Going up? How the century-old idea of a ‘space elevator’ could become realityThere are some technologies that seem so well established that it’s hard to imagine how they could ever be overcome. Almost all our plans to conquer outer space are based on rockets and it’s our failure to improve them, more than anything else, that has left us confined to the surface of this planetPromoted by Independent Premium| Sponsored Sponsored
Undo
PanzerQuest
If you have a mouse, this game will keep you awake all night long.PanzerQuest| Sponsored Sponsored
Undo
Rest Wow
When He Married Her Everyone Laughed At Him. 6 Years Later She Showed Her TransformationRest Wow| Sponsored Sponsored
Undo
travel Passengers allegedly kicked off flight after refusing to sit in vomit-covered seats
Undo
asia Russia oil imports to India plummet to seven-month low
Undo
BestFamilyMag.com
Pilot Cries when He Realizes Why the Birds Are Flying Near the PlaneBestFamilyMag.com| Sponsored Sponsored
Undo
travel Diarrhea that ‘ran all the way through the plane’ forced flight to return
Undo
？ Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Subscribe
Already subscribed? Log in