Finance Minister Amnuay Viravan still sees mergers as one way to rescue finance companies.

CNN: When Guts Are Not Enough

And in any case the baht came under attack again after Mr Amnuay went.

ECONOMIST: Exchange rates

Narongchai himself tendered his resignation in late June, along with then deputy PM and finance minister Amnuay Viravan. (It was Amnuay who brought businessman-economist Narongchai into the cabinet.) Chavalit asked Narongchai to stay, but let Amnuay go amid disputes over economic policy, replacing him with Thanong Bidaya, a banker with little political clout.

CNN: The Politics, Stupid