Thai cabinet reshuffle likely, Kittirat may be finance minister

Thailand's cabinet is expected to be reshuffled soon, with Kittirat Na Ranong, the deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs, becoming finance minister and new ministers of energy and industry also appointed, media said on Tuesday.

The cabinet reshuffle reported by Thai newspapers was "about 90 per cent accurate", according to Kittirat, while a government spokeswoman said 10 changes had already been submitted to King Bhumibol Adulyadej for his endorsement.

The reshuffle would see Kittirat, 53, a former broker and president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), take over from Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala, who joined the cabinet on Aug. 10 last year after serving as head of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and before that as a deputy central bank governor.

The changes are unlikely to lead to any real shift in the government's pro-growth economic policies, which have been driven largely by Kittirat, backed by self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the influential elder brother of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Other expected moves are the replacement of Industry Minister Wannarat Channukul and Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan, with Deputy Finance Minister Boonsong Teriyaphirom taking over Kittirat's other position as commerce minister.

"I believe the reshuffle will be good for the administration and the country and this will be decided by the prime minister,"Kittirat told reporters on Tuesday.