Buddhipongse Punnakanta, a key leader of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protest, has been named the prime minister's deputy secretary-general for political affairs, according to Col Athisit Chainuvat, assistant spokesman of the Prime Minister's Office.
Mr Buddhipongse was appointed by the cabinet during its meeting Tuesday.
He is among nine PDRC protest leaders fighting insurrection charges after prosecutors indicted them for their "Bangkok shutdown" demonstrations to oust the Yingluck Shinawatra government in early 2014.
Mr Buddhipongse has been assigned to follow up on the implementation of government policies and monitor progress in solving people's problems brought on by the policies.
He has also been put in charge of coordinating work between the government and the National Legislative Assembly, according to Col Athisit.
It is the second such sudden employment of a key street protester facing criminal charges.
In April, the government ordered the "urgent" appointment of Sakoltee Phattiyakul to the position of deputy governor of Bangkok to assist governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang. He also was a core PDRC member, street-protest leader and is facing charges of violence and violating a ban on political crowds.
Pol Gen Aswin is expected to run for election to the post he holds in case the junta authorises a vote. Mr Sakoltee, a former Democrat MP, was seen as a likely political adviser for such an effort.
The cabinet on Tuesday also approved the appointments of senior C-10 state officials.
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