BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced on Wednesday that former Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak would be in charge of spurring economic growth in a reshuffled cabinet, as the military-government seeks to spur stumbling domestic demand.

Southeast Asia's second-largest economy has consistently missed government targets since Prayuth led an army coup in May 2014 to end months of street protests, with exports and domestic demand stubbornly sluggish.

A weak economy could undermine support for the government as frustration with restrictions on political activity simmers, particularly among younger voters and supporters of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whose government was ousted in 2014.

Somkid, a 62-year-old US-educated former marketing executive, currently is an economic adviser to the National Council for Peace and Order, as the junta has called itself since the coup.

He also served as deputy prime minister and commerce minister under the government of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's brother, and was a key proponent of the populist policies known as "Thaksinomics".

Prayuth said more than 10 cabinet positions had been "adjusted".

"Several people have been made advisers and will still work with me," he said. "I believe the new cabinet will have to work harder than the previous one because I will get them to look at reforms."

On Tuesday, Prayuth said he had submitted the list of new cabinet members to the king for approval.