Thai PM rules out cabinet shake-up
Monday, 23 March 2009
BANGKOK, Mar 22 (AFP): Thailand's premier refused Sunday to bow to opposition pressure and reshuffle his cabinet after he survived a no-confidence vote, in the latest round of a bitter political feud in the kingdom.
After two days of bruising debate, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and five cabinet ministers won Saturday's vote, but the three-month-old ruling coalition remains at odds with supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The opposition had attacked Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya over his ties to royalist protest group the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which seized Bangkok's airports late last year and brought chaos to the capital.
After two days of bruising debate, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and five cabinet ministers won Saturday's vote, but the three-month-old ruling coalition remains at odds with supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The opposition had attacked Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya over his ties to royalist protest group the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which seized Bangkok's airports late last year and brought chaos to the capital.