Abhisit was formally endorsed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej as Prime Minister on 17 December 2008. Abhisit ascended to power admid a global economic crisis, continued divisions between his PAD/palace/military/urban supporters and UDD/rural critics.
Key appointments in Abhisit's government included PAD leader Kasit Piromya as Foreign Minister, construction tycoon Chavarat Charnvirakul as Interior Minister, and investment banker and former Abhisit classmate Korn Chatikavanij as Finance Minister.[57] Abhisit, was widely criticized for appointing Kasit as Foreign Minister, defended his selection, saying that “[Foreign Minister] Khun Kasit [Piromya] has been picked for his experience. He has been ambassador to a number of key countries, he’s a very knowledgeable person on the economy. He may have addressed or joined some of the rallies but if he has done anything illegal he will be prosecuted."[58] Massage parlor tycoon Pornthiva Nakasai was appointed Deputy Commerce Minister. Abhisit denied that there was any bargaining or deal-making behind the appointment of his Cabinet.
Abhisit's first act as Prime Minister was to send SMS texts to tens of millions of Thai mobile phone users. The message, signed "Your PM", asked people to help him solve the country's crisis. Interested phone users were asked to send back their postal codes, at a cost of three baht. Abhisit was criticized for violating privacy regulations in the mass SMS. The National Telecommunication Commission says that mobile phone service providers may not exploit client information, including phone numbers, without their consent. However, it did not seek actions against Abhisit.
Rohingya scandal. In January 2009, CNN investigations revealed that up to 1,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar had been captured by the Thai Navy, beaten, then towed out to sea without engines or navigational aids and with little food and water. Abhisit's initial response was to claim that the media reports were "exaggerated" and that the refugees would "sail on boats without engines or sink their ships so that authorities help them to get onshore.” Army Commander Anupong Paojinda denied the reports of abuse.
On 20 January, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) requested the government for access to 126 surviving boat people in Thai custody. Abhisit said he was "glad to work with international organisations" but that such organizations would have to work on a cooperative basis with proper Thai government procedures. The military said it had “no clear information” about refugees in its custody.
Further media investigations revealed that refugees had very recently been cleared from a detention center but were nowhere to be found. A Thai Navy officer was interviewed, saying that "We have to take the engines off the boats or they will come back. The wind will carry them to India or somewhere." Abhisit then promised a thorough military-led investigation, but simultaneously issued a blanket denial of abuse on behalf of the military. The investigation was led by the Internal Security Operations Command, a military unit established to run anti-communist death squads and then revived to run anti-Thaksin propoganda. Abhisit's deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, suggested the entire situation was cooked up to besmirch Thailand's image. Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya claimed that the CNN reports were incorrect and called for people not to "believe what the world says about Rohingya."
UNHCR goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie criticised Thai government of ignoring the plight of Rohinyas and suggested that Thai government should take better care of the Burmese ethnics. The Foreign Ministry reprimanded the UNHCR, noting that the UNHCR had "no mandate" and saying that the matter should not be mentioned by it and its "guests." Abhisit was criticized by both Thai and international commentators for defending the military at the expense of protecting the human rights of the refugees. "We are not going to see the Abhisit government going after the military because it was instrumental in his assumption of office," said political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak.
Abhisit continued the Surayud junta's policy of compulsory licensing of pharmaceuticals, claiming that it complied with the World Trade Organisation's agreement on intellectual property. As of March 2009, he warned that compulsary licensing could be expanded if the US downgraded Thailand's trade status.
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