August 15, 2024, at 1500hrs, at the Command Building I, Government House, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, acting Prime Minister, disclosed about the resolutions of the special session of the cabinet meeting which took place this afternoon, following the Constitutional Court’s verdict yesterday to remove Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office.

As the Constitutional Court ruled the termination of ministership of the Prime Minister according to Section 170 (4) of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, the entire cabinet must, therefore, vacate office en masse (Section 167 (1)). However, the outgoing cabinet shall continue to perform duties until the newly appointed cabinet takes office (Section 168 (1)). It also agreed to appoint Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to perform duties as acting Prime Minister.

The cabinet also approved guidelines for the ministers to perform their duties in accordance with Section 170 (4) as follows:

1) Status of the Cabinet and Ministers

a. Status of the cabinet and ministers are terminated, but they will remain in office to continue performing duties. However, this is not considered an acting position. They will receive a salary, and are not yet required to declare their assets

b. The cabinet shall continue to perform state administration as necessary in all aspects for the best interest of the country. Its authority to ensure and protect national security also remains in case there are threats to national security, such as declaring state emergency, etc.

c. Specification of minister positions will remain the same, not as “acting” or “caretaker”

d. All political officials appointed by the Prime Minister must also end their positions

e. Committees appointed by the Prime Minister in accordance with Section 11 (6) of the State Administration Act, and Prime Minister’s Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs (working under deputy prime ministers) shall continue to perform their duties.

2) Cabinet Duties

a. The outgoing cabinet should not deliberate policy agendas that may bind on the incoming cabinet

b. Urgent or ongoing matters shall be considered on a case-by-case basis

According to the acting Prime Minister, additional guidelines for the cabinet’s performance of duties will later be disclosed by Mr. Wisanu Krea-ngam.