Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha handed in on Thursday the list of new cabinet members for royal endorsement. Here are the short biographies of the incoming members including five new ministers and one deputy minister.
- Predee Daochai – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
He is the co-President of Kasikorn Bank and the Chairman of the Thai Bankers Association. He has spent much of his career in the banking sector, specifically with Kasikorn Bank. The Thammasat and University of Illinois graduate has also worked with Prayut and his cabinet before, having been handpicked by the coup government in 2014 to serve in the rubber-stamp National Legislative Assembly.
2. Supattanapong Punmeechaow – Minister of Energy
He is a former Chairman of Global Green Chemicals, a former Chairman of PTT’s Risk Management Committee and a former Director at PTT Global Chemical. He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Chulalongkorn University and a master’s in business from the same institution. His appointment came as no surprise since he just resigned from all of his positions within the private sector last week. He has also been a personal adviser to PM Prayut since he came into power.
3. Anek Laothamatas – Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation
He is an adjunct professor and a veteran politician. He is an executive member of the Action Coalition for Thailand Party and a former deputy leader of the Democrat Party. Anek has a medical degree from Chulalongkorn University. He later changed his major to political science before receiving a doctorate from Columbia University. After returning to Thailand, he taught political science at Thammasat University before beginning his political career. He is an ally of Suthep Thaugsuban who promoted him to Labor Minister to replace Chatu Mongol Sonakul but received the Minister of Higher Education position instead.
4. Anucha Nakasai – Minister to the Office of the Prime Minister
He is the secretary-general of Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and a member of the Sam Mitr faction. He is a veteran politician who was an executive member of Thai Rak Thai and then Bhumjaithai before joining the current pro-military party. Anucha has a bachelor’s degree in law from Ramkhamhaeng University and a graduate from Thammasat University.
5. Suchart Chomklin – Minister of Labor
He is a member of the Parliament for Chonburi and the deputy leader of the PPRP. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Management from Krirk University. He entered politics with the Phalang Chon Party before he resigned to join the private sector in order to be the Chief Executive Officer of Arinsiri, where he helped to guide it to become a listed company. Suchart then joined the PPRP and became the leader of its Chon Buri group.
6. Narumon Pinyosinwat – Deputy Minister of Labor
She is the government spokesperson who was earlier tipped to lead the new economic team. She is a former lecturer and professor at the National Institute of Development Administration. She is also an independent director and chairperson of the audit committee at various public and private organizations. Narumon has a Bachelor of Science in Applied Statistics from Chulalongkorn University before receiving an MBA and a PhD in finance from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She first entered politics with the PPRP in 2017 and became its party-list MP before resigning to be the government spokesperson.
