BANGKOK -- Thailand on Wednesday welcomed a new Cabinet after King Maha Vajiralongkorn approved the appointment of 35 members to serve under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn assumed the role of Prime Minister on August 16 , following the resignation of her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, who was removed from office by a court ruling. The court determined that he had violated an ethics law by appointing a Cabinet member who had served a prison sentence in relation to a bribery case. Paetongtarn is the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a military coup in 2006 but continues to exert significant influence in Thai politics.

Paetongtarn is the leader of the Pheu Thai Party, which came to power after last year’s general election. The party formed the government after members of the conservative Senate declined to endorse the prime minister nominated by the progressive Move Forward Party, the party that won the most seats in the election.

The newly formed Cabinet closely resembles Srettha’s, with five of the deputy prime ministers retaining their positions. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Interior Minister, and Pichai Chunhavajira, the Finance Minister, both of whom are also deputy prime ministers, have kept their roles. The same applies to Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa.

The royal endorsement of the new Cabinet, published in the government gazette, came after weeks of uncertainty regarding its composition. This followed the removal of the pro-military Palang Pracharath Party from the governing coalition that Srettha had formed. There was widespread speculation that the party and its leader, retired General Prawit Wongsuwan, were instrumental in the ethics case brought before the Constitutional Court that ultimately led to Srettha's departure before completing a full year in office.

Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai party invited its long-standing rival, the Democrat Party, to join the governing coalition, with party leader Chalermchai Sri-on appointed Minister of Natural Resources. This position was previously held by Prawit’s brother.

Pheu Thai, the successor to the Thai Rak Thai Party, ended the Democrats' long-standing dominance in Thai elections in 2001 when its founder and leader, the billionaire Thaksin, became prime minister. After Thaksin's removal from office in 2006, the Democrats joined forces with other conservative elements in Thai society to prevent a resurgence of his political influence. Thaksin's departure triggered a protracted period of conflict between his supporters and opponents, playing out in the streets, the courts, and at the ballot box.

Srettha's resignation due to an ethics issue involving a Cabinet minister prompted a thorough vetting process for Paetongtarn's appointees to ensure they were legally sound.

Srettha's Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaised, previously accused of ordering two murders in the early 2000s, was replaced by his daughter Sabida, while Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao, who had been imprisoned in Australia for heroin trafficking in 1994, also lost his position.

“The constitution offers ample room for various ethical investigations, and the Constitutional Court holds significant power in interpreting the constitution,” remarked Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, a law professor at Thailand's Thammasat University. He pointed out to The Associated Press that the court's terminology, like “evidently honest” and “ethical standards,” are inherently subjective.

“It's a systemic issue. When you have individuals driven by revenge and a court with the authority to rule on matters that are entirely subjective, the Pheu Thai party won't face any challenges from the opposition in Parliament. However, they will have to contend with all the individuals they have upset, who can initiate legal petitions that land them in the courts' jurisdiction,” he stated.