"I was a scholarship student and was fully aware that the money to support me came from the taxpayer, "said Varakorn, adding, "I always thought one day I would have to give something back to society. I will work hard, even though the government has only been running the country for nine months."

Varakorn graduated with master's and doctor's degrees in economics from the United States.

Varakorn said he had not yet talked to Wijit about all his responsibilities. However, Wijit has asked him to solve the burgeoning debt problem among teachers.

Meanwhile, Wijit said he had followed Varakorn's career and valued his experience. Being an expert in economics will also help him assist teachers in debt, he added.

Wijit said Varakorn, 59, is a former private-school executive and had worked as deputy secretary-general to ex-prime minister Chuan Leekpai, so he has a broad understanding of education in both the private and government sectors.

Before being promoted to deputy education minister, he was rector of Durakit Pundit University. Although both Wijit and Varakorn worked for the Chuan administration, Wijit denied he had insisted that only a Democrat should work with him.

"He [Varakorn] was not a Democrat Party member. He has never taken a role in politics; he is an academic," he said.

Varakorn was recently appointed as a member of the 100-strong Constitution Drafting Assembly.

Oranuj Osathanon, who was yesterday appointed deputy commerce minister, has several years of experience with the ministry.

Now 68, she is a former director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade and the Department of Export Promotion. She has also been an adviser to Commerce Minister since last year.

She graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from the United States.

With a good background of management in the ministry for decades, Oranuj is a charismatic working woman who can lead crisis meetings to eventual agreement. In addition, her long experiences both in drawing up policy and solving commodity problems will allow her to shore up farm-goods prices.

Amidst the country's economic crises, the Commerce Ministry will play a key role to drive export growth.

Oranuj is able to support any export plan directly thanks to her performance as director-general of the Export Promotion Department for some years.