Leaders of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD)who were elected in the July election are now full-fledged MPs. From left, Worachai Hema, Prasit Chaisrisa, Nattawut Saikua, Korkaew Pikulthong, Wiphuthalaeng Pattanaphumthai, Payap Panket, and Weng Tojirakarn.
Red shirts are off, black jackets are in.
Will any of them be included in the Cabinet? If you believe the latest rumours, the new Cabinet line-up will be red-free. But you will have to see the real list before believing any of the speculation.
But the fact that Col Apiwan Viriyachai, a red-shirt hard-core member, decided to pull out of the race for the House speakership in favour of Somsak Kiatsuranond,might be one indication of that policy.
The "leaked" stories so far do not have any prominent red-shirt leader in the new Cabinet line-up. At least two vernacular newspapers today came up with a similtar story: Kittirat Na Ranong, who earlier was tipped to become foreign minister, may now take up the commerce portfolio and the new foreign minister may well be Vikrom Koompairoj, former Thai ambassador to London.
Nobody knows who is making the final decisions on who is being offered what ministerial post. But the Bangkok-Dubai phone lines remain as busy as ever.
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