BANGKOK - THAI customs officers said on Friday they had rescued 130 pangolins and arrested one man attempting to smuggle the endangered animals out of the country.

Customs officers intercepted a truck in Thailand's central Prachuab Khirikhan province late on Thursday night and found the pangolins, or scaly anteaters, trapped in 26 cases.

BANGKOK - THAILAND'S top businessmen and political commentators criticised the proposed cabinet of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday, saying several ministers lacked experience or were likely to worsen political tensions.

Board of Trade chairman Pramon Sutivong, who represents the country's manufacturing and trading sectors, told reporters after a meeting with Mr Abhisit that he was upset at names reported in the media as heads of key economic ministries.

BANGKOK - THAILAND'S new prime minister picked up a broom and posed for cameras on Friday on the steps of Government House, vowing to quickly clean the mess from a three-month sit-in and show the country is 'back to normal'.

About 100 painters, cleaners and maintenance workers accompanied Abhisit Vejjajiva on his first trip to the prime minister's office compound. It was left in shambles by protesters who barricaded the building Aug 26 and then took over Bangkok's two airports in an eight-day siege ending Dec 3 to demand the departure of allies of deposed ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.