The Yingluck II Cabinet, announced yesterday evening, was immediately rocked by a controversy after new face Nalinee Taveesin, who was appointed PM’s Office minister, was exposed as being on a United States blacklist due to her alleged business connections with Zimbabwe.

Nalinee’s name was on the US blacklist of “cronies” of the much-abhorred Zimbabwean regime. The disclosure was certain to put more strain on bilateral relations after the US Embassy’s recent terrorist warning on its website upset the Thai government.

Read more: The Nation