Thai king endorses PM Paetongtarn's new Cabinet

BANGKOK — Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's new Cabinet, the Royal Gazette showed on Sept 4, with 12 new faces in the 36-member line-up.

Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai Party, which together with its previous incarnations has led multiple governments since 2001, dominates the new Cabinet and has retained current Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira and Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, the gazette showed. 

Deputy premier Phumtham Wechayachai takes on the defence portfolio and has been replaced as commerce minister by top Pheu Thai advisor and former energy minister Pichai Naripthaphan.

Pheu Thai has 17 of the Cabinet positions, which include ministers and deputy ministers, with the remaining 19 posts divided among its coalition partners.  

Paetongtarn, 38, was elected by Parliament in August to become Thailand's youngest premier and its second woman in the job, after the shock removal of predecessor Srettha Thavisin by a court, which said he had violated ethics in a Cabinet appointment.

Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of the influential ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is still seen as wielding power behind the scenes.

She is the fourth member of her family to hold the post, with the other three removed by coups or in court decisions.

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