Military ruler General Prayuth Chan-ocha has named an interim cabinet dominated by members of the security forces to governThailand through at least a year of political reforms before he permits an election.
Prayuth was widely expected to hand the top portfolios to the military as he chooses a government from the small circle that formed the junta that has ruled since a coup on May 22.
Thailand’s army chief has kept an iron grip on power as he extends the government, hand-picking an interim parliament that subsequently nominated him prime minister. The parliament, like the cabinet, is dominated by members of the military.
The Thai king gave royal approval to the interim cabinet on Sunday. The cabinet will have an audience with the monarch in coming days, the last formality before it can begin governing.
The portfolios of transport, defence, commerce and interior ministries will go to members of the armed forces. Economics and finance go to civilians.
The interior and defence ministers are two army generals that a Reuters report last year showed secretly backed the protests that undermined the government ofYingluck Shinawatra and paved the way for the coup.
The interior ministry goes to General Anupong Paochinda, who was army chief from 2007 to 2010. General Prawit Wongsuwan returns to the defence ministry, and will also be the deputy prime minister.
The two are towering figures in Thailand’s military establishment, have close ties to Prayuth and are staunch monarchists who played a role in the previous coup inThailand in 2006. That coup ousted Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra.
