Complaint filed over transfer of five senior Phuket administrative officials

A lawyer and a Phuket MP on May 28 submitted a complaint to a parliamentary committee over the transfer of five senior Phuket provincial administrative officials to temporary posts at the Department of Provincial Administration, saying the transfer order did not specify any wrongdoing.

Speaking at Parliament, Phattharapong Supaksorn, also known as Lawyer Aun Buriram, said he was acting on behalf of two groups: the Phuket deputy provincial governor’s office group and southern civil servants whom he described as whistleblowers. He said the complaint followed an order transferring five Phuket officials to assist the Department of Provincial Administration at the Interior Ministry.

The five officials named were Roongruang Thimabut, Phuket deputy governor-level provincial chief official; Siwat Rawangkul, Phuket City district chief; Wilailak Rueangphon, Thalang district chief; Akkrapol Suthirak Jitsukhasap, Kathu district chief; and Danai Suksakul, Phuket provincial protection chief.

Phattharapong said earlier reports had led the public to believe the transfers might be linked to corruption, illicit payments or bribery. However, he said that after reviewing the transfer order, he found it referred only to action taken "for the benefit of the civil service" and did not cite corruption or any specific misconduct.

He said this had raised questions over whether the transfers were politically motivated or linked to influential networks. He also cited wider civil service reshuffles before the election, saying more than 40 provincial chief officials and more than 203 district chiefs had been moved nationwide.

Phattharapong further alleged that he had evidence in the form of a Line chat between the director-general of the Department of Provincial Administration and Roongruang before the election. He said the conversation included local polling information in Phuket and messages that, if genuine, would amount to asking civil servants to assist a political party. He said he plans to submit the information and evidence to the Constitutional Court and seek scrutiny under Section 157 of the Criminal Code and election-related law.

Chalermpong Saengdee, a Phuket MP from the People’s Party, said he had come to receive the complaint from Roongruang and other affected administrative officials. He said the key issue was linked to inspections in the Bang Tao Beach, Freedom Beach and Nui Beach areas, which he said involved political groups, influential figures and some Phuket deputy governors.

Chalermpong called on the prime minister and the interior minister to investigate the matter transparently and fairly, including any individuals who may have influenced events in Phuket, particularly in cases involving alleged encroachment on public land that remain under legal process.