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Former Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha Appointed to Privy Council by King Maha Vajiralongkorn
(CTN News) – Prayut Chan-o-cha, the former prime minister of Thailand, was named to the prestigious Thai Priviy Council yesterday by King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun.
It was formally stated yesterday (November 29) in the Royal Gazette that His Majesty has decided to appoint one extra Privy Councillor. The appointment was generously made by the king by Prayut, the former prime minister.
With a maximum of 18 members and a single president, the Privy Council serves as an advisory council to the Thai king. Surayud Chulanont, the 24th prime minister of Thailand, is currently serving as president of the Privy Council of Thailand.
The appointment was announced after Prayut Chan-o-cha’s loss in the 2023 General Election as the United Thai Nation Party’s prime ministerial candidate. In July, he announced that he was leaving politics after nine years in charge.
A report on iLaw states that there have been 30 prime ministers in Thailand’s history, but only five of them—Prime Minister Sanya Dharmasakti (12th PM), Thanin Kraivichien (14th PM), Prem Tinsulanonda (16th PM), Surayud Chulanont (24th PM), and Prayut Chan-o-cha (29th PM)—have been appointed to the Privy Council of Thailand.
After Prayut Chan-o-cha’s appointment, he must swear the oath of allegiance in order to assume office. No one has said when the event will take place just yet.
Following their formal resignations on July 5th, this year, eight ministers from the previous administration had their assets and liabilities disclosed earlier this month by the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
It has been nine long years since Prayut’s fortune has been made public. The most recent information indicated that Prayut and Naraporn Chan-o-cha’s assets were 1.5 million baht greater than what was disclosed when Prayut Chan-o-cha was appointed prime minister on September 4, 2014.
The most recent assets disclosed this month were worth 130 million baht, whereas the total assets revealed in 2014 were worth 128 million baht.