Cabinet changes: Jurin to be new health minister, Chinnaworn to head education

BANGKOK, Jan 6 (TNA) – The Democrat Party executives on Wednesday agreed to have Minister of Education Jurin Laksanawisit take over the health minister’s portfolio, while Government Chief Whip Chinnaworn Boonyakiat will be appointed education minister.

The party bigwigs also resolved to appoint Witthaya Kaewparadai, who resigned last Tuesday to take responsibility for ‘management flaws’ in his ministry’s projects under the Bt86 billion Thai Khemkhaeng (Strong Thailand) stimulus packages, as the government chief whip.

The party executives’ resolution will be forwarded to Democrat members of parliament for endorsement.

Prime Minister Abhist Vejjajiva as the Democrat leader said after the party executives’ meeting that Mr Jurin will be able to solve the problems in the public health ministry including internal conflicts and corruption in the ministry, as he understands well the state administration system, as well as the government policies.

The Democrat leader also expressed confidence that Mr Chinnaworn who will replace Mr Jurin will be able to run the education ministry as he has backgrounds on education field.

Meanwhile, Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nop-amornbodi on Wednesday submitted a letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva via the Secretariat of the Cabinet requesting a 30-day leave to allow the government-appointed panel to carry out the ongoing investigation without political intervention, effective Thursday.

Mr Manit told a news conference that the allegation that he was involved with the irregularities in disbursements of the ministry’s funds is groundless as no funds designated for ministry projects were held back.

Declaring himself ready to resign if the National Counter-Corruption Commission finds him guilty, Mr Manit added that if his case is raised in the parliamentary no-confidence debate, he will clarify the matter by himself.

The deputy minister added that he intended to submit his letter directly to the premier as both met earlier in the day, but the premier disagreed with Mr Manit’s request.

“I think that if I don’t take leave, my presence will pressure the investigators,” Mr Manit said. “It depends on the prime minister whether he will approves my request or not.”

Mr Manit’s reaction came as his Bhumjaithai Party, a major coalition party, advised him not to resign following the resignation of the health minister from the Democrat Party after a probe committee said that no sign of irregularities were found in disbursements of the mMinistry’s funds.

The Bhumjaithai Party reasoned that there is no evidence showing that Mr Manit engaged in any irregularities, and that no corruption had happened.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said that he has not seen Mr Manit’s letter, adding that he has told Mr Manit once both met in the afternoon that “political standard” should be mutually created.

Regarding the comments of House Speaker Chai Chidchob saying that the “nine strict rules” are implied to only ministers from the Democrat Party, Mr Abhisit reiterated that he has informed the rules to the every Cabinet members, not only for those from his party.

The premier earlier vowed when he took office in his speech on how his ministers should conduct themselves that any politician involved in the corruption should face action under the nine strict rules.

The premier however believes that the matter will not shake the coalition government and the Bhumchaithai Party will not withdraw from the coalition government as both sides have to work for the public interest. (TNA)