BANGKOK: Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s new cabinet, the Royal Gazette showed on Wednesday, with 12 new faces in the 36-member lineup.
Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai Party, which together with its previous incarnations has led multiple governments since 2001, dominates the new cabinet and has retained current Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira and Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, the gazette showed.
Deputy premier Phumtham Wechayachai takes on the defense portfolio and has been replaced as commerce minister by top Pheu Thai adviser and former energy minister Pichai Naripthaphan.
Pheu Thai has 17 of the cabinet positions, which include ministers and deputy ministers, with the remaining 19 posts divided among its coalition partners. Paetongtarn, 38, was elected by parliament last month to become Thailand’s youngest premier and its second woman in the job, after the shock removal of predecessor Srettha Thavisin by a court, which said he had violated ethics in a cabinet appointment.
Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of the influential ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is still seen as wielding power behind the scenes. She is the fourth member of her family to hold the post, with the other three removed by coups or in court decisions.
Thai king endorses PM Paetongtarn’s new cabinet
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Thai king endorses PM Paetongtarn’s new cabinet
- Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai Party, which together with its previous incarnations has led multiple governments since 2001
- Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of the influential ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is still seen as wielding power behind the scenes
Sao Paulo blackout leaves 1.4M without power, hundreds of flights canceled
SAO PAULO: More than 1.4 million Sao Paulo residents had no electricity on Thursday after strong winds caused several trees to collapse onto the Brazilian metropolis’ grid the day before. Local authorities said there were no injuries, but almost 400 flights were canceled.
Utility Enel has provided no deadline for services to return. One of its directors, Marcelo Puertas, told journalists the Italian company has 1,300 people working to solve the issue since winds of about 100 kilometers per hour started hitting Sao Paulo.
Sao Paulo city hall said 231 trees have fallen due to what it calls effects of an extratropical cyclone formed in the south of Brazil. Aviation authorities say most of the canceled flights were at the local Congonhas airport, but added that Guarulhos International Airport, outside the city, was also affected.
Mayor Ricardo Nunes, whose administration is responsible for trimming the trees that were pushed against the grid, told journalists Wednesday night he had told the company that it was not putting all of its efforts to fix the problems.
“Every time something happens, we are left behind without electricity,” said Nunes, who called the Italian utility company “irresponsible.” The grid’s status on Wednesday was even worse, with more than 2 million Sao Paulo residents without electricity.
On Thursday, several cars with the Enel logo were filmed in the company’s parking lot in downtown Sao Paulo, which further enraged residents and authorities.
Water utility Sabesp said in a statement on Thursday that the lack of electricity is already affecting their services too, as pumps are not working adequately.
