Thai PM Chavalit reshuffles cabinet<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (Reuter): Thai Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
\nannounced a cabinet reshuffle yesterday, affecting 10 ministers
\nin his eight-month-old coalition government in an apparent move
\nto shore up its sagging popularity.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by Chavalit, two outsiders, conservative
\neconomist and former finance minister Virabongsa Ramangkura and
\ncommunications tycoon turned politician Thaksin Shinawatra,
\nbecame deputy premiers.<\/p>\n
The cabinet changes involved eight ministers and deputy
\nministers from Chavalit's New Aspiration Party (NAP) and two from
\nhis major coalition partner, the Chart Pattana Party of former
\npremier Chatichai Choonhavan.<\/p>\n
He promoted Chingchai Mongkoltham, a minister in the Prime
\nMinister's Office, to education minister replacing Sukavit
\nRangsitphol, whom the opposition had accused of corruption in his
\npolicy to equip government schools with computers.<\/p>\n
Sukavit, who has denied the charge, retained his concurrent
\njob as deputy premier.<\/p>\n
Some analysts saw the reshuffle as falling short of market
\nexpectations, saying it was too limited to ease mounting
\ncriticism of a government struggling to tackle Thailand's worst
\neconomic turmoil in decades.<\/p>\n
The Thai economy is projected to grow about 2.5 percent to 3
\npercent this year, its slowest since at least the early 1960s and
\ncompared with 6.4 percent in 1996.<\/p>\n
"It could only help the government's image in the short term
\nbut I don't see any real progress. This is just an image boosting
\nexercise, a move by Chavalit to buy time for his government,"
\nAdkinson Securities' Virachai Krongsamsee said.<\/p>\n
Chavalit himself has faced calls from the press, university
\nlecturers and the public for his resignation as Thais voiced
\nanger over a government decision to raise value added tax to 10
\npercent from seven from Aug. 16.<\/p>\n
The prime minister was also criticized for a government move
\nto suspend more than half of Thailand's 91 finance companies
\nsince late June as Thailand adopted tough economic reform
\nmeasures in exchange for a $17 billion international bailout
\npackage sponsored by the International Monetary Fund.<\/p>\n
As part of the reshuffle, Chavalit also switched yesterday the
\njobs of University Affairs Minister Montree Danpaiboon and Labor
\nand Social Welfare Minister Chatchai Eartrakul.<\/p>\n
He also named Deputy Interior Minister Kiatchai Chaichavarat
\nas a minister of the Prime Minister's Office.<\/p>\n
The rest of the changes involved deputy ministerial portfolios
\nin various ministries.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thai-pm-chavalit-reshuffles-cabinet-1447893297",
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