INTERIM "CABINET OF OLD MEN" APPOINTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 006206

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TREASURY PASS TO FRB SAN FRANCISCO/TERESA CURRAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TH
SUBJECT: INTERIM "CABINET OF OLD MEN" APPOINTED

REF: A. BANGKOK 6203


B. BANGKOK 6080

Classified By: CDA Alexander A. Arvizu, reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The interim cabinet was appointed on October

9. The King, addressing the group in his first televised
speech since his operation three months ago, admonished them
to improve Thailand's international image. The group
includes mostly seasoned, non-partisan professionals. NGOs
have raised objections to a few of the new ministers, mostly
because they served in the ministries during the Thaksin
administrations. However, as a whole, the group is being
viewed preliminarily as competent, upright and professional,
if somewhat uninspiring. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) The new Thai Cabinet was announced on Monday,
October 9, and had their audience with the King that
afternoon (reftels). Interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont
has chosen a cabinet of experienced professionals -- so
experienced, in fact, that their age is already the subject
of humor, with one paper calling them the "Cabinet of Old
Men." Surayud named 22 ministers (including two ministers to
the PM's office) and four deputy ministers (Agriculture,
Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Transport). About half of the
new ministers were former permanent or deputy permanent
secretaries, rectors or deans of universities, or judges. The

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rest include former officials of advisory boards or
foundations, and two former deputy ministers. The new
interior minister is a Bangkok-born Muslim, and former
Governor of Satun province (which borders with Malaysia); he
should be well-prepared to deal with issues in the
insurgency-plagued far South. There are two retired military
officers in the Cabinet: Minister of Defense Boonrawd
Somthas (one of PM Surayud's confidantes from Army service)
and Transport Minister Admiral Thira Haocharoen. Deputy PM
Pridyathorn Devakula (former Bank of Thailand Governor) will
also serve as Finance Minister; Deputy PM Kosti Panpiemras
(former Executive Chairman of Bangkok Bank) will also serve
as Industry Minister. Septel provides names for the complete
cabinet and biodata on key ministers.


3. (U) The King addressed the new ministers, the first time
that TV has shown him speaking since his back surgery in
July. He spent the bulk of this remarks emphasizing the
problems caused by the widespread flooding affecting much of
the country, and urging the new cabinet to take steps to
ameliorate the suffering of the population. He also
admonished the ministers to work to improve Thailand's image
with the international community: "A lot of people who are
not Thai, who are foreigners, are saying that Thailand is not
good. We have to try to change that. ... If we don't, our
country will lose its good name and it will be difficult for
our people to live happily. ... Therefore, we have to try and
change what is not good, to improve matters. And that is
difficult."


4. (C) Response to the new cabinet has been generally
favorable, although there has been some sniping. The
People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) representative
criticized the government for including people with ties to
the Thaksin government -- apparently including people like
interim Foreign Minister Ambassador Nitya Pibulsonggram, who
led the Thai team to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
negotiations with the US, and Interior Minister Ari
Wong-araya, who is a former Thai Rak Thai member. Some
environmental groups are also critical of the new Energy
minister, Piyavaste Amranand, who has a long history of
involvement in privatization efforts and construction of
power plants, both of which are unpopular with some of the
NGO sector. Some have also leveled allegations of corruption
against him. Interestingly, according to what their
spokesman told us, the PAD was in touch with the Council for
National Security last week to give its views on some of the
candidates proposed for the cabinet. The Democrat Party
Secretary General told the press that the new cabinet in

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general looked good to him, although he had reservations
about Interior Minister Ari, due to his TRT ties. There has
been no formal comment from TRT yet, although one former MP
complained that the new cabinet would work too slowly and in
an "obsolete" manner. It is too early to judge genuine

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public reaction yet, but, taken as a whole, the new ministers
are likely to be viewed as competent and upstanding, although
perhaps unexciting, professionals by most of the public.


ARVIZU