Thailand’s king endorses new Cabinet led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
Cabinet includes several non-politicians and allied parties in a minority coalition; oath to be taken next week as Bangkok seeks stability after ethics ruling and border clashes with Cambodia
Thailand’s king endorsed on Friday a new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul after a court order removed his predecessor over ethics violations and amid public outrage over a deadly border dispute with Cambodia. Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai party was dismissed after being found guilty of ethics violations over a politically compromising phone call with Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen. The July border clash with Cambodia killed dozens and heightened political tension across Bangkok.
The Cabinet, which includes several non-politicians, is expected to take office next week after taking an oath in front of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Anutin, head of the Bhumjaithai Party, was elected premier by Parliament last month, succeeding Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The Pheu Thai Party holds no position in the current Cabinet and has said it will operate as the opposition.
Most of Anutin’s Cabinet posts went to members from his party and two other parties, Klatham and the military-backed Phalang Pracharath, which together form the core of his minority coalition government. Anutin will serve as both prime minister and interior minister, a portfolio he already held under Paetongtarn’s government.
Non-politicians drew several ministerial posts, including Ekniti Nitithanprapas, a former Director-General of the Revenue Department who holds an economics degree from the United States, named to both deputy prime minister and finance minister. Suphajee Suthumpun, a former chief executive of Dusit Thani hotels, was named commerce minister. Veteran diplomat Sihasak Phuangketkeow was appointed foreign minister; he previously served as Thailand’s permanent secretary of the foreign ministry and as a United Nations Human Rights Council president in 2010.
Thammanat Prompao of the Klatham Party was named deputy prime minister and agriculture minister, adding to a slate that includes several other deputy premiers. Thammanat has a controversial past; he was convicted and jailed in Australia in 1994 in connection with heroin smuggling. In total, six cabinet members hold deputy prime minister posts.
The People’s Party, the country’s main opposition bloc, has run on progressive platforms and has pressed for constitutional change. It pledged to dissolve Parliament within four months and organize a referendum to draft a new constitution via an elected constituent assembly. Pheu Thai, once a ruling coalition partner, does not hold any cabinet post in the new government and is expected to maintain its opposition role.
The cabinet is expected to assume office next week after the oath, with Anutin serving as both head of government and interior minister as Bangkok weighs ongoing domestic challenges and the broader regional outlook, including relations with Cambodia and the role of the military in politics.