BANGKOK - Thailand’s new Cabinet, which was officially announced on April 28, includes six new faces – four of them from coalition leader Pheu Thai.

The six new faces are Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira, Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul, Prime Minister’s Office Minister Pichit Chuenban, PM’s Office Minister Jiraporn Sinthuprai, Deputy Agriculture Minister Attakorn Sirilattayakorn and Deputy Commerce Minister Suchart Chomklin.

Mr Pichai, Dr Paopoom, Mr Pichit and Ms Jiraporn were appointed under the Pheu Thai quota; Mr Attakorn under the Palang Pracharath quota; and Mr Suchart under the United Thai Nation quota.

Deputy PM and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira

Mr Pichai was born on Feb 15, 1949. He is a leading businessman and used to hold several important posts, including chairman of the Stock Exchange of Thailand’s board of directors, a post he resigned from just last week in what was seen as preparation for the Cabinet reshuffle.

He was a member of the Bank of Thailand’s board of directors, and also president of the Federation of Accounting Professions.

Currently, he is the president of Bangchak Corporation and an adviser to the Thailand Board of Investment. Before his appointment to the Cabinet, he was also an economic adviser to the prime minister.

From 2015 to 2016, Mr Pichai was a key defence witness when former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was tried in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office-Holders for failure to stop damage in the rice-pledging scheme.

Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul

Born on Feb 22, 1983, Dr Paopoom has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Kasetsart University. He later received a master’s in business administration from Massachusetts University in Boston, as well as a master’s degree and a doctorate in economics from the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Dr Paopoom is seen as a young rising star in Pheu Thai, who has been playing a prominent role since 2019. He joined the party as an aide to Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is close to the Shinawatra family, to take care of economic affairs.

PM’s Office Minister Pichit Chuenban

Dr Pichit has a bachelors’ degree in law from Ramkhamhaeng University and a master’s in law from Dhurakij Pundit University. He also has a master’s in arts from Ramkhamhaeng and a doctorate in industrial business administration from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.

Dr Pichit is a lawyer seen as the most trusted by the Shinawatra family. He was assigned to head all the legal defence teams since the 2006 coup against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Dr Pichit was once jailed for six months for attempting to bribe judges with two million baht in cash in a case against Thaksin.

During the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, Dr Pichit was part of a team that screened draft legislations before Bills were submitted to the House. He also headed Yingluck’s defence team when she was tried by the Supreme Court in the rice-pledging case.

In 2019, when Pheu Thai formed a secondary party called Thai Raksa Chart Party, Dr Pichit became its chief legal adviser. After the party was dissolved, he was transferred back to Pheu Thai.

PM’s Office Minister Jiraporn Sinthuprai

Roi Et MP Jiraporn was born on Sept 1, 1987, and has a bachelor’s degree in arts from Assumption University, a master’s in political science from Ramkhamhaeng University, and a Master of Science (international business) degree from University of Reading in England.

Ms Jiraporn is the eldest child of former Roi Et MP Nisit Sinthuprai, who was an executive of the now-defunct People Power Party and a former leader of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship.

Ms Jiraporn became a rising star in the House when she vociferously debated the government of former prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. She even has her own fan club and is seen as a young-blood politician who has helped boost Pheu Thai’s image.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Attakorn Sirilattayakorn

Mr Attakorn was born on Aug 7, 1984. His father Itthiporn Sirilattayakorn, a former deputy transport minister, was a member of the so-called Group of 16. Mr Itthiporn won the Chachoengsao House seat many times until he retired.

Mr Attakorn has a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from Bangkok University and a master’s in marketing management from Middlesex University in England.

He joined Pheu Thai in 2011 and was elected a party-list MP. He then moved to Palang Pracharath Party before the 2019 election and was again elected a party-list MP.

He served as a secretary to coalition whips during the previous government’s tenure until becoming a member of the Palang Pracharath executive board and later, a spokesman for the party.

Deputy Commerce Minister Suchart Chomklin

Born on July 15, 1974, Mr Suchart has an arts degree in management from Krirk University in Bangkok.

He is a member of the Chonburi faction of the former Palang Chon Party.

When Palang Chon was about to join Palang Pracharath in 2018, Mr Suchart left the faction to form his own group.

As the Chonburi MP under Palang Pracharath, he had severe conflicts with the Chonburi group of the Kunploem family.

He was close to then Prime Minister Prayut and was appointed the labour minister in Mr Prayut’s government.

When the United Thai Nation was formed to nominate Mr Prayut in the 2023 election, Mr Suchart left Palang Pracharath to join United Thai Nation. He was elected a party-list MP, but his group lost to the Chonburi group in the elections. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK