Attapol, Suphajee step into hot-seat roles in Anutin’s new cabinet

Several ministers from outside the political sphere have been nominated, notably Attapol Rerkpiboon and Suphajee Suthumpun, both drawn from top corporate leadership.

Suphajee, until recently CEO of Dusit Thani Group, was named minister of commerce after stepping down from her executive post on September 12. She described the role as both unexpected and challenging, but said she accepted Anutin’s invitation to join the government’s economic team out of a sense of duty.

Thailand is facing pressing economic and household challenges, she explained. From my experience in both macroeconomic policy and multinational business, I aim to push Thai exports and strengthen foreign market opportunities.

She stressed that tackling cost-of-living issues alone would not suffice: “We must focus on creating income while reducing expenses—expanding exports while identifying new potential in domestic markets.”

Suphajee added that the short timeframe of seven to nine months before the next election made her decision easier. Even without knowing every civil servant, I believe in building teamwork to drive success, she noted.

“One does not need 100% knowledge to begin, but must give 100% effort,” she added.

Thanakorn Ketsuwan, president of the Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC), praised the appointment, describing Suphajee as a capable executive with international experience, including a stint at IBM.

Although she is not familiar with the finer details of import and export, he said he believed that with her knowledge and the ministry’s strong team, she would be able to manage effectively. “The private sector is ready to support and work alongside her to keep Thai trade moving forward,” Thanakorn said.

If one considers the tasks awaiting the new commerce minister, they will include driving forward international trade negotiations, particularly with the United States, where issues such as rules of origin remain unresolved. 

Another priority will be advancing free trade agreement (FTA) talks, including those with the European Union.

In addition, the minister must ensure price stability for key agricultural products during the harvest season, such as the main rice crop, while also working to boost exports currently under pressure from tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump and from the global economic slowdown.

Energy sector issues

Attapol Rerkpiboon, former president and CEO of PTT, has been nominated as minister of energy. He was the company’s 10th chief executive, completing his term in 2024.

The new energy minister faces urgent tasks, foremost among them tackling energy prices, which directly affect both household living costs and national competitiveness.

A source at the Energy Ministry told Krungthep Turakij that Attapol should begin by reviewing the overall energy pricing structure. This includes ensuring that oil prices, particularly diesel and petrol, and re-examining the structure of electricity tariffs.

Although oil and electricity prices are not currently considered excessively high and remain within a range the public can bear, Thailand’s reliance on energy imports—over 90% in the case of oil, and rising dependence on imported natural gas for power generation—underscores the need for long-term structural reform.

“His experience as a former PTT CEO means he is familiar with ministry officials and has the expertise to quickly drive forward the ministry’s agenda,” the source said.

Among the decisions awaiting his approval are the results of the recent selection of a new director for the Oil Fuel Fund Office (OFFO), which have already been submitted to the fund’s board secretary, and the extension of the LPG household price freeze.

The Energy Policy Committee is set to consider prolonging the LPG freeze at 20.9179 baht per kilogram (excluding VAT), keeping the retail price of a 15kg cylinder at 423 baht until September 30, 2025.

Another priority will be finalising the draft National Energy Plan, aimed at steering Thailand towards its net-zero carbon emission targets. The plan is composed of five key sub-plans:

• Power Development Plan (PDP)
• Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP)
• Energy Efficiency Plan (EEP)
• Oil Plan
• Gas Plan

As of September 7, 2025, the Oil Fuel Fund was running a combined deficit of 21.96 billion baht, with 20.83 billion baht in the oil account and a deficit of 42.79 billion baht in the LPG account. Outstanding loans stood at 51.94 billion baht, down from about 100 billion baht previously borrowed.

Speaking after his cabinet nomination, Attapol also addressed the long-standing issue of overlapping claims in the Thai-Cambodian maritime area. He said any discussions on joint energy development must align with Prime Minister Anutin’s stated policy that “not a single square centimetre of Thai territory will be surrendered.”

“Negotiations to manage energy resources in the overlapping area cannot proceed until the border dispute is definitively resolved,” Attapol stressed.

He noted that while joint development has been successfully implemented in the Thai-Malaysian Joint Development Area (JDA), which is free of territorial disputes, the Thai-Cambodian situation is fundamentally different, making energy cooperation impossible until sovereignty issues are settled.