Acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan today dismissed speculation about an imminent Cabinet reshuffle.
“Why should there be a Cabinet reshuffle when the government can still get things done?,” he said as he arrived at the Government House to chair his first Cabinet meeting as acting prime minister after the Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha was suspended from active duty as prime minister by the Constitutional Court last week.
There has been speculation that even as acting prime minister, Gen Prawit might carry out a limited Cabinet reshuffle to appease factions in his Palang Pracharath Party. There are currently two Cabinet portfolios waiting to be filled while two Cabinet members face the prospects of being suspended in connection with legal charges against them.
During today’s Cabinet meeting, Prawit chose not to sit in the chair reserved for the prime minister at the head of the table. He instead sat in his usual deputy prime minister’s chair.
Government Spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said it was Prawit’s own choice not to sit in the prime minister’s chair.
Meanwhile, Prayut joined the meeting on-line in his capacity as defence minister but was reported to not have participated in any of the discussions.
“He didn’t even utter a word,” said Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.
