Paetongtarn follows Prayut model, to hold culture portfolio as backup if court suspends PM duties

Sources reveal that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has submitted the names of new cabinet ministers to the Cabinet Secretariat for qualification checks, with the updated lineup – informally dubbed Paetongtarn Cabinet 1/2 – expected to be formally presented to His Majesty the King today (June 28).

In a strategic move, Paetongtarn will also assume the role of Minister of Culture, following the reassignment of Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation.

According to insiders, the decision for Paetongtarn to hold a second ministerial post is part of a contingency plan amid speculation that the Constitutional Court could temporarily suspend her from performing her duties as prime minister due to the ongoing legal case regarding a leaked audio clip.

By taking on an additional cabinet role, Paetongtarn would remain eligible to attend and participate in cabinet meetings even if suspended as premier — following a precedent set by General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who held the defence portfolio concurrently during his premiership. When Prayut was ordered by the Constitutional Court to cease his duties temporarily in a previous case concerning his 8-year tenure limit, he continued to attend cabinet meetings in his capacity as Minister of Defence.

This calculated arrangement ensures Paetongtarn retains a formal presence in government, even in the event of judicial intervention.