( CNN ) -- Thailand 's military leader and Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha has unveiled a new interim cabinet in which key ministries will be run by senior military figures . Twelve members of the 32-strong cabinet are active or retired officers of the security forces , including one police general , occupying many of the most powerful roles in the new administration . Most of the rest of the cabinet are former senior civil servants . Military figures will hold responsibility for the defense , commerce , transport and interior ministries , while civilians will take the economics and finance portfolios . Prayuth was selected by Thailand 's National Legislative Assembly to lead the government in a vote last month . He was the sole candidate for the post . Members of the assembly had been hand-picked by Prayuth . More than half are also in the military . Prayuth seized control of the country on May 22 , 2014 after months of unrest destabilized the elected government , led by former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra . Close associates . Prayuth has named General Prawit Wongsuwan , a former defense minister and former head of the army , as defense minister , and one of his five deputy prime ministers . Retired general -- and Prayuth 's predecessor as military chief -- Anupong Paochinda has been named Interior Minister . Both are powerful military figures with close ties to Prayuth , and who played a role in the 2006 Thai coup . General Udomdej Sitabutr , Prayuth 's current deputy as army chief , has been named by Prayuth to lead the army when he steps down from his army position at the end of the month . Sitabutr will serve as deputy defense minister and is also a member of the cabinet . Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong , the head of Thailand 's air force who has overseen the new regime 's economic direction , will become transport minister . The new cabinet will be required to take an oath before King Bhumibol Adulyadej before it officially begins its duties . The administration is intended as an interim cabinet to allow the new leadership time to implement political reforms before elections are held . Critics accused Yingluck of acting as a mouthpiece for her brother , former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra , who was deposed in the last coup in 2006 and is now living in exile . After taking power , military authorities summoned leading political officials and other prominent figures . It imposed travel bans and delivered the firm message that dissent would not be tolerated .
Current and former military officers are heavily represented in new Thai cabinet . Thailand 's new PM , General Prayuth Chan-ocha , has named close associates in cabinet . Other positions are held by former senior civil servants . Comment: