Thailand reshuffles Phuket governor, citing need to defuse conflict and improve administration

Thailand’s Interior Ministry said a cabinet-approved reshuffle placing Chotinrin Kerdsom as Phuket governor in place of Nirat Pongsitthaworn was intended to help resolve problems in the province and serve the interests of the administration.

Speaking at Government House at 12.10 p.m. on June 16, Permanent Secretary for Interior Arsit Sampantharat said the cabinet had approved moving Nirat, the Phuket governor, to a post as deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, while appointing Chotinrin, currently a deputy permanent secretary, to take over as Phuket governor.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul later said the transfer order followed a proposal from the Interior Ministry permanent secretary, who had reviewed the matter and submitted the details. He again said the move was for the efficiency of the administration and that fuller details should be explained by the permanent secretary.

Arsit said the change followed public attention in Phuket over allegations involving “gray capital” and influential figures seeking benefits. He said the transfer was made to help ease the situation and keep official work running smoothly, in line with government policy on suppressing influential figures and addressing unresolved issues in the area.

Anutin said the move was meant to improve the efficiency of public administration and was not a reduction in Nirat’s role or importance. He said Nirat was a senior and highly experienced official and that the deputy permanent secretary post was an important management position in the ministry.

Arsit denied that the governor’s transfer was linked to the Department of Provincial Administration’s order moving the Phuket provincial chief administrative officer. He said the ministry wanted to defuse all problems and compared the situation to sand in a shoe that must be removed so walking can continue.

Asked whether the unsuccessful handling of problems stemmed from personal conflict or local interests, Arsit said the latest transfers were not about vested interests. He said the aim was to ensure work in Phuket could continue and that existing problems would be resolved as quickly as possible.

Anutin said problems in Phuket had been known to the public for some time and that, despite his own visits and orders, the situation had not eased. He said people in the province had been exposing and attacking each other on a daily basis, including through clips, making it impossible for the administration to function normally.

He said that if such conflict were allowed to continue, officials would not be able to work together effectively, making it necessary to send personnel with no conflict who could coordinate with all sides. He said this was particularly important because Phuket is a major economic province that generates substantial income for the country.

Arsit acknowledged that Nirat was senior and understood the issues, but said the problems had not yet been fully addressed. He also said Phuket’s deputy governors were not working as a team, making it necessary to change the whole team so the problems could be solved.

Anutin also said the government was not ignoring complaints in Phuket about beach land encroachment, blocking public access to public areas, alleged dark influence and intimidation of residents. He said the problems required rapid action and could not wait for studies, inquiry panels or review processes that might take months.

He said he had instructed the Interior Ministry permanent secretary to accelerate solutions in Phuket so that results would be seen quickly and confidence among the public and businesses could be restored.

Arsit said an existing inquiry set up by a previous Phuket governor would continue and report to the ministry, adding that there was nothing conclusive at present.

Asked whether the move was driven by concern that the prime minister might order an investigation, Arsit said he was not afraid of anything and was focused on official performance. He said the prime minister had asked him about the situation, and he advised that the best course was to make the problems subside.

Anutin said that if nothing had changed, there might have been a need to consider examining the work of senior Interior Ministry executives as well, but said the permanent secretary had now shown concrete action to address the problem. Asked separately whether scrutiny of the permanent secretary would continue, Anutin said it would depend on the issue but that there needed to be change in a better direction, adding that he examined the permanent secretary every day because they were together every day.

Arsit said the new Phuket governor would go in to assess the situation and expressed confidence in his experience, saying he had been selected by the Interior Ministry for the role.

He added that even if officials involved were moved elsewhere, any investigation would continue, pending written explanations and further reports to the ministry.

Anutin also signaled to other provinces that similar internal conflicts should not be allowed to develop, describing the Phuket case as a kind of model area for handling administrative conflict that the government was closely monitoring. When asked whether other provinces should be warned against letting similar problems develop, he referred to the Phuket case as “Phuket Sandbox.”