Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirms new Cabinet

Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra confidently returned to the kitchen today, ensuring the flame from the gas cylinder was on while announcing that her new Cabinet’s composition has been finalised.

The prime minister seized the opportunity during a visit to flood-stricken Sukhothai to cook pad kaprao with premium beef, alongside renowned chef Chumpol Jaengprai in Mueang district. This time, she left no room for doubt.

Paetongtarn prepared meals for locals affected by the floods.

“Bring your microphone close to the cylinder so you can hear the sound of the flame.”

The Pheu Thai leader’s caution comes after her previous kitchen duties in Nan province were dismissed as a photo opportunity by social media users who questioned the authenticity of her cooking due to the absence of visible flames in the pictures. The Pheu Thai Party defended the incident, explaining that the wok was so large it obscured the flame.

Sukhothai is the second province devastated by severe floods that the prime minister has visited.

When reporters pressed for updates on the formation of her Cabinet, Paetongtarn confirmed that the list had been finalised and that all candidates are currently undergoing qualifications verification.

The Democrat Party joined the coalition government on Thursday, providing a solid 322 votes in the 500-member House of Representatives.

Paetongtarn noted that the Democrats bring stability to the government as Pheu Thai and the nation’s oldest party unite to address the people’s problems. She also suggested that the Cabinet list might be ready for royal endorsement by next week.

All Cabinet members of the new government must take an oath of allegiance, and the prime minister needs to formally present the government’s policies in Parliament to complete the process for beginning the administration, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, Thailand’s Seri Ruam Thai Party has quit the Pheu Thai-led coalition government. The move follows a heated dispute between Seri Ruam Thai’s leader, Police General Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, and the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which he accuses of neglect.