People’s Party MP alleges Phuket governor transfer was part of wider power reshuffle
A People’s Party MP has alleged that the transfers of Phuket’s governor and a deputy governor were part of a broader political power realignment in the province.
People’s Party list MP Phakamon Nunanant said on June 17 that the transfer of Phuket’s governor and a deputy governor was not an isolated administrative move, but part of what she described as a broader effort to reorganize political power in the province.
In a Facebook post, Phakamon commented on the recent reshuffle involving Phuket provincial officials after a meeting at the Interior Ministry. She said the episode had been presented dramatically, but argued that the more significant development was the subsequent transfer of the Phuket governor.
According to Phakamon, the prime minister at the meeting referred to information from a Phuket information center alleging that a deputy governor had encroached on more than 50 rai of forest land in an area where officials were aware of the issue but had not acted because of concern over the deputy governor’s influence. She said that deputy governor was then transferred.
Phakamon alleged that the deputy governor, whom she referred to by a nickname, had associates who were defendants in a case involving alleged encroachment on public land at Bang Tao Beach. She further alleged that people in the area believed the group had benefited from facilitating encroachment on public land for entertainment venues and beachfront restaurant rentals, and that monthly income tied to such arrangements across Phuket was about 10 million baht.
She said the recently transferred Phuket governor had tried to impose order on the situation, leading to a serious conflict with the deputy governor. Phakamon also alleged that the deputy governor had previously been able to influence transfers of officials despite normally lacking such authority.
Phakamon questioned why the deputy governor was transferred without disciplinary or criminal proceedings, and said the official had instead been moved to a larger province and to his home province.
She said the more consequential move came the following day, when the Phuket governor was ordered transferred to a post as a deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry. Phakamon described that position as lacking real authority.
Phakamon said she believed the next phase would be what she called an arrangement of “blue” power in Phuket, and named incoming governor Chotinrin Kerdsom as part of that shift. She also questioned whether alleged entrenched problems linked to the deputy governor would now be investigated.
The source report centered on Phakamon’s public comments and allegations. It did not include responses from the officials named in her remarks.
