Former Assistant Army chief General Kampanat Ruddit has been appointed as a new privy councillor, raising the number of Privy Council members under the new King to 14.

His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn issued a royal command on Friday to appoint Kampanat, a former member of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), as the new privy councillor with immediate effect.

Kampanat on Thursday resigned as an NLA member.

The royal command was undersigned by Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda.

According to the post-coup interim charter, the King can appoint up to 19 privy councillors including the president.

After ascending the Throne, His Majesty the King first appointed 12 privy councillors – Wirat Chinvinijkul, Jaranthada Karnasuta, General Surayud Chulanont, Kasem Watanachai, Palakorn Suwanrath, Atthaniti Disatha-amnarj, Supachai Poo-ngam, Chanchai Likhitjitta, Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, General Dapong Ratanasuwan, General Teerachai Nakwanich and General Paiboon Koomchaya.

Kampanat, Wirat, Jaranthada, former education minister General Dapong, former Army chief General Teerachai and former justice minister General Paiboon are first-time members of the Privy Council while the other eight, including Prem, served as privy councillors under the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and were reappointed.

General Kampanat, 60, graduated from Class 16 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and Class 27 of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.

Before his latest appointment to the Privy Council, Kampanat had served in numerous high-ranking positions including assistant Army chief, NLA member, and director of the National Council for Peace and Order’s Centre for Reconciliation for Reform.