Telephone tycoon likely to enter Chuan's cabinet

Telephone tycoon likely to enter Chuan's cabinet

BANGKOK (Reuter): Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has submitted a final list of cabinet changes, which local newspapers say includes the controversial nomination of a businessman who is not a member of parliament as foreign minister.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej was expected to approve the list yesterday, an official at the prime minister's office said.

Chuan's list, handed in at the royal palace on Monday night, contained at least 14 full or deputy ministerial changes recommended by two out of his five coalition parties, according to Thai newspaper reports.

Thaksin Shinawatra, hitherto chairman of Shinawatra Computer and Communications, was earlier nominated for the Foreign Ministry by Palang Dharma party leader Chamlong Srimuang.

In the present coalition government, member parties are allocated a certain number of portfolios, and the party leaders have the power to replace their representatives in the cabinet at will. The three other parties made no changes to their cabinet posts.

Departing Foreign Minister Prasong Soonsiri bitterly contested his replacement along with other Palang Dharma dissidents who have refused to resign from their cabinet posts.

Whether or not they hand in their notices, the outgoing officials' tenure lapses automatically once the new office- holders are formally announced.

Oppose

Prasong, a veteran public servant, opposed his party leader's decision to appoint a non-member of parliament to the key post.

"When it comes time to write a history of Thai politics, it should be recorded that a minister whose performance was flawless and supported by opinion polls had to quit because of a party's leader and its executive committee," Prasong told reporters after a farewell lunch given by Chuan on Sunday.

Thaksin has quit as chairman of his company's flagship company, but political commentators have said there could be potential conflicts of interest since the Shinawatra group holds important broadcasting and satellite concessions.

Chamlong was prominent in the 1992 pro-democracy movement against the appointment of a non-member of parliament as prime minister, Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon.

At the height of the protest soldiers gunned down scores of demonstrators in the streets of Bangkok in May, 1992, causing Suchinda's government to resign in disgrace.

Chuan came to power in September that year leading a coalition of parties that favored more democracy in a country that has seen at least 16 successful or attempted coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932.