Paetongtarn’s political officials to undergo tighter screenings
Cabinet delays political appointments as candidates’ backgrounds are closely checked to avoid a repeat of the incident that led to Srettha Thaivisin’s removal
The appointment of political officials was not discussed at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, as the candidates are still undergoing qualification checks by relevant agencies, a Government House source said.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, acknowledged that the process would take longer than expected, as it involves 10 agencies in addition to the standard checks.
The usual agencies responsible for background checks are the Royal Thai Police, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Council of State.
However, the source said about 10 more agencies will now be involved to ensure every candidate’s legal and ethical compliance.
These agencies include the Anti-Money Laundering Office, Constitutional Court, Court of Justice, Administrative Court, Legal Execution Department, Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, the Narcotics Control Board, Auditor General, Department of Business Development, Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as agencies candidates used to work at previously.
The source added that the premier had signed an order on Tuesday appointing former Pheu Thai MP Jirayu Huangsap as her advisor for public relations. The Cabinet is expected to name its spokesperson next week, the source added.
Analysts suggest that the ruling Pheu Thai Party is taking cautious steps to prevent legal or ethical challenges regarding appointments, aiming to avoid a repeat of the incident in which the Constitutional Court removed former prime minister Srettha Thavisin.
The court ruled that Srettha violated the code of ethics by appointing Pichit Chuenban to his Cabinet despite Pichit serving a six-month jail sentence in 2008.
