Phumtham to become interior minister, Prasert labour minister: sources

Phumtham set to become interior minister and Prasert labour minister in upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Pheu Thai sources reveal.

Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is expected to become the next interior minister, while Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong is tipped to take over as labour minister in the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Pheu Thai Party sources said on Sunday.

The sources shared the latest possible reshuffle list with The Nation ahead of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s meeting with coalition party leaders at the Rosewood Bangkok Hotel on Sunday afternoon.

According to the sources, Paetongtarn was expected to inform coalition leaders that, following the withdrawal of the Bhumjaithai Party last week, eight Cabinet seats were now vacant and would be redistributed among the remaining partners.Coalition parties would be asked to promptly submit their nominees under the revised quotas. The Cabinet Secretariat would conduct background checks and vet the qualifications of the proposed ministers by Monday, before the new Cabinet list is submitted for royal endorsement.

Phumtham is expected to vacate the defence portfolio to take up the interior ministry post, replacing Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai Party leader who resigned last week.

Deputy Defence Minister Gen Natthapon Nakpanich would be promoted to defence minister, while Gen Sunai Praphuchanay, former commander of the Special Warfare Command, would assume the role of deputy defence minister, the sources said.Prasert would become the new labour minister, with his Digital Economy and Society (DES) post handed to Chakkrapong Saengmanee, a former PM’s Office minister.

Sermsak Pongpanit, former tourism and sports minister, would be appointed deputy interior minister.

Meanwhile, the Kla Party would nominate Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn as agriculture minister and shift Naruemon Pinyosinwat from the agriculture portfolio to serve as minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.

From the Democrat Party, Deputy Public Health Minister Dej-it Khaothong would move to become a deputy interior minister, while Chaichana Dejdecho would be appointed as a new deputy public health minister under the party’s updated quota.

The sources also said that Jatuporn Burutpat, former permanent secretary at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, would become deputy commerce minister under the United Thai Nation Party’s new quota. Other UTNP ministerial positions would remain unchanged.

(2025/06/22-00:00)