New Cabinet set for April 6 oath, policy statement may start April 7

New Cabinet set for April 6 oath, policy statement may start April 7

Thailand’s newly appointed Cabinet is expected to be sworn in before the King on April 6, paving the way for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s administration to deliver its policy statement to Parliament as early as April 7.

The timetable moved into place after the royal command appointing the new Cabinet was published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, formally clearing the way for the oath-taking and the next constitutional step before the government fully begins work.

April 6 seen as the next key milestone

Anutin said he had been informally told by the Cabinet secretary that April 6 was the preliminary date for the oath-taking ceremony, although the final schedule still depends on formal notification from the Royal Household. He also said the new Cabinet was expected to meet immediately after the ceremony, signalling that the government wants to move quickly once ministers are formally sworn in.

Policy statement could follow from April 7

The government’s policy statement is expected to be presented to Parliament around April 7-9, according to Reuters, meaning the debate could begin as soon as the day after the swearing-in if the timetable holds. Anutin has said the administration is ready to proceed quickly after the oath, reinforcing expectations that the government wants to complete the transition without delay.

Draft nearly complete

Anutin said the core content of the policy statement was already almost complete, with about a week still available for additions or refinement. He said the draft had already incorporated input from coalition parties and other sectors, and would be sent on for lawmakers to study ahead of the parliamentary debate if there were no major changes.