Thailand's New Cabinet Packed with Allies of Thaksin

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BANGKOK— Thailand's new government was endorsed by the country's monarch Wednesday, with key positions going to allies of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra—a move unlikely to ease the country's political crisis.

The new Cabinet list, announced on national television after an endorsement by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is led by Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who will also be the defense minister.

Somchai, 61, is the brother-in-law of Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup.

Somchai replaced Samak Sundaravej, who was forced from office two weeks ago by a court that ruled his hosting a TV cooking show while in office was a conflict of interest.

Samak's resignation had been demanded for weeks by protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy, which accused Samak of acting as Thaksin's proxy. The court action was not directly related to the alliance's demands.

Despite the new government, the protesters have refused to end their month-long siege of the prime minister's office compound. Somchai has been forced to set up temporary office elsewhere.

The most powerful ministries in the new Cabinet—defense, interior, finance and foreign affairs—went to Thaksin's trusted allies and close advisers.

Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon, was toppled by a Septtember 19, 2006 coup after months of demonstrations led by the same protest alliance, which demanded he step down because of alleged corruption and abuse of power.

He and several members of his family face several corruption-related criminal prosecutions.

However, Thaksin's allies swept back into power after elections in December to restore democracy. Opponents have accused the ruling party of vote-buying and corruption.

Analysts said the new Cabinet list is unlikely to solve the current political crisis.

"The Cabinet list is unlikely to inspire confidence or prolong the life of the government amid economic and political challenges," Panithan Wattanayagorn, a political scientist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "Many are picked to appease the coalition parties and not for their qualifications."

Among the Thaksin allies in the new Cabinet is Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat, who was Thaksin's boyhood classmate. Scion of a family of policemen and northern Thai politicians, Sompong will be the fourth foreign minister since Samak's elected government came into power in February.

Another close ally of Thaksin, Chalerm Yoobamrung, became health minister. The finance ministry went to Suchart Thadathamrongvech, an economic adviser in Thaksin's administration.

Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, 77, a former prime minister and military chief with a long, sometimes turbulent career in politics, will be a deputy prime minister. Seen as a potential negotiator with the protesters, he also served as a deputy prime minister under Thaksin.

Police Gen Kowit Watana, 61, the former police chief under Thaksin's premiership, will remain as the interior minister.