Special report: Thai deputy PM appointed caretaker PM

    BANGKOK, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's outgoing caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Wednesday appointed his deputy, Chitchai Wannasathit, to work on his behalf to run the country and his cabinet as he is 'taking time off' from work, but insisted that he is still head of the country.

    Thaksin announced his leave of absence to the Cabinet after a special meeting Wednesday noon.

    Hours after the Cabinet meeting, Thaksin told hundreds of supporters outside the headquarters of his Thai Rak Thai Party that he has already handed over his duties and functions to the caretaker deputy Prime Minister Chitchai.

    Thaksin will take the post of caretaker Prime Minister until a new Prime Minister was appointed by the parliament which has not been set up.

    Otherwise, Thaksin said he was still undecided on who should be the next prime minister.

    Thaksin thanked his supporters, some of them were sobbing, and said that he made the decision of leaving just because of the desire of nation unity.

    Pol. Gen. Chitchai, the caretaker deputy Prime Minister and also caretaker justice minister, will take the duties as a caretaker Prime Minister since then.

    A pike-up car Wednesday remove some private belongings of Thaksin from the Government House.

    "Pol. Lt-Col. Thaksin has taken time off from work to rest and will holiday inside the country. He has kept his promises and hopes every party will follow suit," said Deputy Health Minister Anuthin Charnvirakul.

    "However, Mr. Thaksin remains prime minister and is ready at any time to offer advice to his deputy to run the cabinet," said the health minister.

    He said the prime minister would not attend cabinet meetings unless there were special agendas to discuss.

    "However, he is still running the Thai-Rak-Thai Party and will still offer his administration advise," Mr. Anuthin said.

    Meanwhile, Deputy Interior Minister Sermsak Pongpanit said the prime minister has stressed that all of his ministers should work hard and that cabinet meetings will continue under the leadership of Gen. Chidchai.

    "But Mr. Thaksin will take charge whenever it directly involveshis duty," he said.

    "He is still the prime minister but he is only taking some timeoff to rest," he added. Enditem