Newly-appointed Thai Cabinet Members Sworn In

[george]

Newly-appointed cabinet members sworn in

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: -- Two newly-appointed cabinet members were sworn in on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra led the two newly-appointed cabinet members, including Deputy Prime Minister Suchai Charoenratanakul and Public Health Minister Pinij Jarusombat, to take their oaths before His Majesty the King after the cabinet meeting in the northern province of Nakhon Sawan.

The oath taking ceremony was held at the Klaikangvol Palace in the upper southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan.

The two new cabinet members was officially appointed in a minor cabinet reshuffle announced by the government Monday after being approved by His Majesty the King in a Royal Command.

Dr. Suchai, former public health minister, was shifted to be a deputy prime minister, replacing Mr. Pinij Jarusombat, who was alternately moved to replace Dr. Suchai as the new Public Health Minister.

Dr. Suchai tendered his resignation recently, effective on October 31, after his controversial transfer orders of senior Public Health Ministry officials, including the ministry's permanent secretary Dr. Vichai Tienthavorn for alleged delay in his approvals of the ministry's major procurement projects.

The transfer order is pending, awaiting the findings of an official investigation panel.

Mr. Thaksin said he wants Dr. Suchai to continue to oversee and respond to bird flu problems.

He told journalists that he would assign Dr. Suchai to supervise the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, while Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit would oversee the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

--TNA 2005-11-01

[ilyushin]

Strange!