Thai PM reshuffles cabinet

The land of smiles has been facing a lot lately. After the accusation of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s wife, Pojaman, the capital has been flooded with thousands of anti government protest rallies to demonstrate against the ruling government of attempting to block corruption charges on the ex minister.

Following this, the Thailand’s besieged Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej announced a Cabinet reshuffle on Saturday. The reshuffle involved 11 Cabinet posts, including the key interior, commerce, industry and public health ministries. Retired police Gen. Kovit Wattana was named the new interior minister, replacing the unpopular Charlerm Yoobamrung. Chaiya Sasomsup, who earlier was disqualified as health minister, was chosen to head the Commerce Ministry, while Mingkwan Saengsuwan, who came under suspicion for his performance as commerce minister, was transferred to run the Industry Ministry.

Now apparently all of them have been willingly approved on Saturday by the King Bhumibol Adulyadej. While some think that this is a way of buying time before moving to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections on the part of the Prime minister, others are of the opinion that the new Cabinet cannot give Thais any hope in dealing with the economic situation. Whatever the truth may be, it is certain that Samak is trying his best to defend his administration for the country’s inflation has already hit a 10-year high of 9.2 percent due to rising food and fuel costs.