BANGKOK, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Thai government on Tuesday officially appointed a new secretary-general to the cabinet, said an official here.

    Mr. Rongphol Charoenphanthu, former permanent secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister, was appointed to be the new Secretary-General to the Cabinet, replacing Mr. Borwornsak Uwanno who resigned last month, Deputy Government Spokesman Danuporn Punnakan told a press conference after a cabinet meeting.

    Maj. Gen. Peeraphan Prempooti, advisor to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was appointed to be the new Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister, replacing Rongphol.

    The cabinet also endorsed a prime minister's order on authorizing Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop to oversee government agencies which were previously under the supervision of former deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam, who also resigned last month.

    The agencies include the Office of the Council of State, the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) and the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPSDC).

    Meanwhile, the cabinet authorized Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office Newin Chidchob to look into draft cabinet resolutions, a task formerly handled by Wissanu, the spokesman said.

    Newin was also authorized by the prime minister to supervise Mass Communication of Thailand (MCOT), the country's largest media organization. Enditem