Thailand cabinet shuffle in limbo

Thailand cabinet shuffle in limbo

BANGKOK (Reuters): Thailand spent another day in political
limbo yesterday, with party leaders still locked in discussion
over who should be in the country's next cabinet.

All 48 cabinet ministers in the government of embattled Prime
Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh tendered their resignation earlier
this week and Chavalit is seeking to put together a new cabinet
to tackle Thailand's worst economic crisis in decades.

Little news emerged on the likely shape of the new cabinet.
But the powerful Chart Pattana Party (CPP), the second biggest
party in the six-member coalition, denied rumors it planned to
quit the government.

"Chart Pattana will not withdraw because we are concerned
about the economy," said Korn Dabbaransi, deputy prime minister
and deputy CPP leader, after arriving at the house of CPP party
leader and former prime minister Chatichai Choonhavan.

He made the statement amid rumors the CPP would pull out due
to major differences with Chavalit's New Aspiration Party over
the upcoming cabinet reshuffle.

Chatichai's house was abuzz with activity yesterday as
politicians arrived for meetings with the former premier.
Korn said the CPP would bring its list of proposed economic
ministers to Chavalit later in the day.

A meeting of Chavalit's coalition partners last Sunday agreed
that the prime minister would consult with Chatichai in filling
economic portfolios in the upcoming cabinet shuffle.

Some party and government sources had said there was growing
tension between CPP and Chavalit's party over the changes. Some
said the CPP might pull out if they failed to reach agreement.

Korn, the industry minister who was recently put in charge of
economic affairs, said CPP nominees were non-elected experts.
"We nominate the finance and commerce ministerial candidates who
are among a long list of outside experts compiled earlier by the
prime minister," he said. "I stress that our nominees are not CPP
members, they are outsiders."

Korn said Chavalit would have the final say in the cabinet
reshuffle.

"If the new cabinet after the reshuffle still could not
satisfy the public, the prime minister ... would have to take
responsibility," he said. "We don't make conditions or put
pressure on the prime minister."

The government has had a hard time finding qualified people to
fill cabinet posts, especially in key economic portfolios, as
many technocrats have refused to join the government.

Chavalit was not included in the meetings at Chatichai's
house. He held separate talks in the morning and spent the rest
of the day -- a public holiday -- playing golf.

As Chavalit relaxed, about 400 demonstrators blocked the
street outside Government House for the fourth day with speakers
calling for Chavalit's resignation, police said.

Earlier in the week the number of anti-government protesters
in the streets had run into thousands.

Four labor leaders staged a hunger strike outside Chatichai's
house, saying they would refuse food until the CPP pulled out of
the coalition.