Thai PM finalises cabinet, expects to seek royal approval this week

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's new cabinet has been selected and should be submitted for royal endorsement within this week, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Monday.

Senior officials in her caretaker government previously said the new government should be in place by mid-September.

The new cabinet is expected to retain the current finance and foreign ministers but will likely see 11 new ministers and deputy ministers, according local media reports that cited unnamed sources.

Sorawong Thienthong, Secretary General of Paetongtarn's ruling Pheu Thai Party, told Reuters the new government should account for slightly more parliamentary seats than its predecessor. He declined to comment on the list of new cabinet members.

After Srettha Thavisin was removed from office as premier less than a month ago by a court order, the populist Pheu Thai quickly rallied support behind its inexperienced leader, Paetongtarn, 38, with parliament selecting her as prime minister days later.

She is Thailand's youngest premier and the second woman and fourth member of her billionaire family to hold the post.

Paetongtarn is the daughter of the influential and divisive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is still seen as a major force behind the party.

The new government dropped the military-aligned Palang Pracharat party and has added its oldest foe, the Democrat Party, to the coalition.

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Martin Petty)

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