BANGKOK — In a sign that the incoming government coalition has reached a truce, a senior official said Friday the new cabinet has been submitted to His Majesty the King for endorsement.
Echoing an earlier pledge made by the junta chairman, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the next government will be in place before the month’s end. He declined to say who made the final cut.
“We expect everything will be done within July,” Wissanu said. “It’s in accordance with our roadmap.”
Wissanu did not mention how long King Vajiralongkorn will deliberate on the list.
The government was expected to submit the names to His Majesty the King as early as June, but infighting within the Phalang Pracharath Party over key cabinet posts prevented junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha from doing so.
Phalang Pracharath leaders said earlier this week that all disputes have been resolved.
Wissanu declined to disclose the names of new cabinet members today when questioned by reporters, saying he was not privy to the list.
“I don’t know,” the deputy prime minister said.
He also defended the lengthy delay between the March election and the formation of a new government. Wissanu said the old cabinet had to stay in power to welcome foreign delegates when they joined an international summit in Bangkok two weeks ago.
“If we had formed a new government before the ASEAN Summit, the new cabinet members would not have been able to prepare in time,” Wissanu said.