Somkid rejects Cabinet seat on health reasons: source

The source said Somkid has informed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha that he preferred to working behind the scene. The source quoted Somkid as telling Prayut that he would select economic ministers to boost the economic team when Prayut reshuffles his Cabinet.
Prayut has confirmed that he would change his Cabinet line-up when his government turns one-year-old in September.
It has been speculated that Somkid, economic czar of the Thaksin government, would be brought into the Cabinet because the interim charter has been amended to allow politicians who used to be banned because of party dissolution to accept political position.
Although he would not accept a Cabinet seat, Somkid would go on working for the NCPO and the government, the source said.
The source added that Prayut would like to change the economic team leader from  Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula to Somkid because the economic team had failed to revive the economy and economic ministers failed to coordinate in their efforts to drive the country's economy.
The source added that Prayut would like Somkid to take charge of investments by the government to stimulate the economy. The prime minister was unhappy that the current economic team failed to ensure timely disbursements of government budgets by government agencies.