BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has approved Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's new cabinet, the Royal Gazette showed on Wednesday, with 12 new faces on the 36-member list.
Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai Party, and its predecessor has led several governments since 2001, headed a new Cabinet and retained current Finance Minister Photosi Chunhavajira and Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, the newspaper showed.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai takes the defense position and the trade minister position is replaced by senior Pheu Thai adviser and former energy minister Photosi Naripthaphan.
Pheu Thai has 17 cabinet positions, including ministers and deputy ministers, while the remaining 19 positions are divided among its coalition partners.
Paetongtarn, 38, was elected by parliament last month to become Thailand's youngest prime minister and the second woman in the job, after the shock dismissal of her predecessor Srettha Thavisin by a court, which said she had breached ethics when appointing the Cabinet.
Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of powerful former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who still seems to wield power behind the scenes. He is the fourth member of his family to hold this position, while the other three were removed through coups or court decisions.
