Increasingly Dictatorial Thai Prime Minister Tightens Grip on Power with New Partner by Phairath Khampha 20 March 2002 An increasingly dictatorial and paranoid Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra tightened his grip on power on March 6, 2002 by adding a 27-member opposition party to his ruling coalition, which already commanded more than three-fifths of the seats in parliament. Wissanu Krea-ngam, secretary-general to the cabinet, told reporters that King Bhumibol Adulyadej had endorsed a cabinet reshuffle put forward by Thaksin earlier that week. The new cabinet list brought in two influential figures from the opposition Chart Pattana Party (CPP), to join the 327-seat government side of the 500-seat lower house parliament. CPP leader Korn Dabbaransi became a deputy prime minister and party secretary-general Suwat Liptapanlop became a minister attached to the prime minister's office and minister for university affairs, Wissanu said. Mr Thaksin told reporters the inclusion of the CPP, making a four-party coalition, would strengthen the stability of Thai politics and help lure investors. ''This reshuffle was done to tell the rest of the world that there is a strong political stability in Thailand at the moment, no need to worry about politics. If they (investors) are confident in the Thai economy, please come,'' Mr Thaksin said. Mr Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party swept 255 seats in January 2001 general elections, the first time in modern Thai history a political party gained an absolute majority in the lower house. However, recent opinion polls suggested his popularity was waning a little as many of the promises he made during the election campaign have, in true Thai style, become hollow. Other new cabinet members in the reshuffle included newcomers from ruling coalition partner Chart Thai (Thai Nation) Party, as well as a swap of posts between two ministers from Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai. Chart Thai Party director Nikorn Chamnong replaced Deputy Transport Minister Pongsakorn Laohavichien, and the party's deputy leader Newin Chidchob took the post of deputy agriculture minister. Thai Rak Thai's Chaturon Chaisang, minister attached to the prime minister, and Pongthep Thepkanjana, minister of justice, swapped jobs, a move aimed at bringing Pongthep, a former judge, in to help Mr Thaksin handle legal matters at cabinet meetings, officials said. Two Thai Rak Thai members - Minister Sutham Saengpratoom of the Bureau of University Affairs, and Deputy Education Minister Jamlong Krutkuntode - were sacked. The new ministers took an oath of office before the king on March 8.