Thailand Deputy PM Phumtham Named Acting Prime Minister

Following the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra by Thailand's Constitutional Court, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai was appointed as the acting and caretaker Prime Minister during a special Cabinet meeting. Phumtham, a veteran politician affiliated with the Pheu Thai Party and longtime associate of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was reappointed as Minister of Interior and given the role of caretaker Prime Minister. Prior to Phumtham's appointment, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit served briefly as acting Prime Minister for one day. The new cabinet ministers, including Paetongtarn who was reassigned as Minister of Culture, took their oaths before the King. The Cabinet meeting also involved discussions on the distribution of responsibilities among deputy prime ministers and ministers under Article 41 of the Act on Rules for Public Administration of the State. This leadership transition marks a significant development in Thailand's political landscape amidst ongoing legal challenges involving the Shinawatra family.