Trairong Suwannakhiri unanimously appointed as new deputy prime minister

BANGKOK, 13 October 2009 (NNT) – The executive members of the ruling Democrat Party resolved to approve the appointment of Trairong Suwannakhiri as a deputy prime minister for economic affairs, replacing incumbent Korbsak Sabhavasu who will take up the post of Prime Minister”s secretary-general.

Democrat Party Spokesman MD Buranat Samutarak told a press conference after the meeting of executive committee of the Democrat Party, that the party’s members agreed to endorse the appointment of Trairong Suwannakhiri, a Democrat Party MP, as deputy prime minister for economic affairs as Mr Trairong was a capable and experienced individual in the field of economics to replace Mr Korbsak Sabhavasu who had accepted an approach of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to be the next PM’s secretary-general after the post was left vacant following the resignation of Mr Niphon Promphan.

The Democrat Party Spokesman said the party’s members agreed to allow Mr Korbsak to continue working as deputy prime minister until completing some unfinished tasks such as the farmers’ income guaranteeing scheme before taking up the post of PM’s secretary general.

Former Prime Minister’s secretary general Niphon Promphan earlier tendered his resignation following opposing viewpoints over the selection of new national police chief. It was widely assumed that Mr Niphon’s resignation came after the Prime Minister did not support Police General Jumpol Munmai as the new police chief. Earlier on 29 September, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva endorsed the appointment of Inspector-General Police General Pateep Tanprasert as Acting Police Chief to replace Police General Thani Somboonsap who was retiring on 30 September.