Thailand could soon have a functioning government again: the king approved the appointment of Prime Minister Srettha’s new cabinet. But some personal details are highly controversial.
After months of political impasse in Thailand, King Maha Vajiralongkorn has confirmed the new government under Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. In the royal gazette, the monarch approved the cabinet of the real estate mogul and political newcomer from the camp of the populist Pheu Thai movement.
In addition to the office of prime minister, Srettha will also assume that of finance minister. In the new government, the foreign and defense ministries as well as the departments of transport and trade are also in the hands of Pheu Thai. For the designated Prime Minister Srettha, the country’s sluggish economic growth is at the top of the agenda.
The second largest economy in Southeast Asia is suffering from weakening exports and investments. Srettha has pledged cuts in electricity and gas prices as Thais’ purchasing power plummets. He also wants to relax visa rules for Chinese to boost tourism.
The actual election winner was blocked
With the election and appointment of Srettha as head of government, a political standstill in Thailand ends: The coalition led by the Pheu Thai party took over the task of forming a government after the senators defeated the real winners of the general election in May, Pita Limjaroenrat and his progressive party MFP , had blocked. The winning party MFP is not part of the new coalition.
Behind Pheu Thai is the billionaire family of controversial ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned from exile on Tuesday last week just hours before Srettha was confirmed in parliament. Thaksin had spent 15 years in exile to avoid an eight-year sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest during his reign.
Speculations about possible agreements
The coincidence of Srettha’s election with Thaksin’s return had fueled speculation that Thaksin may have struck a deal with the powerful military that could earn him an earlier release from prison. Thaksin and his party deny this. In fact, this Friday the king accepted Thaksin’s plea for clemency and reduced his prison sentence, which the former prime minister would have had to serve after his return, to one year.
The new governing alliance includes two parties close to the army that are close to ex-Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha. The retired army officer had ruled Thailand since 2014 after toppling the previous Pheu Thai government in a coup. The new government alliance is therefore controversial.
Anutin Charnvirakul will become deputy prime minister in Srettha’s 33-strong cabinet. He was Minister of Health in the previous military-led government. The portfolio of natural resources and environment goes to Patcharawat Wongsuwan, who is the brother of ex-army chief Prawit Wongsuwan. He was instrumental in the military coup in Thailand in 2014.
Srettha has to swear allegiance to the king
Political pundit Yuttaporn Issarachai told AFP news agency that some believe “it’s the old cabinet, just with Pheu Thai in it.” With the king’s appointment of the new cabinet, Thailand is one step closer to a fully functioning government, Yuttaporn said. Sretthas must now “swear an oath of allegiance to the king and explain his policy in Parliament”. “Then it will be considered fully functional,” added the expert.