Phuket confirms governor’s transfer as Chotinrin Kerdsum takes office
Phuket has officially confirmed the transfer of Governor Nirat to the Interior Ministry and the appointment of Chotinrin Kerdsum as the island’s new governor, ending nearly two weeks of uncertainty.
Phuket’s Public Relations Department has confirmed that Governor Nirat has been relieved of his post and appointed Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, with Chotinrin Kerdsum appointed as the new governor of Phuket.
PR Phuket announced on Friday night, June 26, that the appointments were made under a Royal Decree. It said both appointments took effect from Thursday, June 25, and were announced the following day.
The confirmation formally put into effect a Cabinet decision approved on June 16 to transfer Mr Nirat to Bangkok after 210 days in office. Since the Cabinet approved the reshuffle, Mr Nirat had refrained from performing official duties while awaiting royal endorsement, effectively leaving Phuket without an active governor for almost two weeks.
In a separate announcement, PR Phuket also confirmed the appointments of the two senior Interior Ministry officials under the decree. Mr Nirat was moved from the governorship to the deputy permanent secretary role, while Mr Chotinrin, formerly a deputy permanent secretary, was named Phuket governor.
The official announcements did not mention that Mr Nirat’s transfer was part of a broader shake-up in Phuket’s provincial administration. The reshuffle also included the immediate transfers of Vice Governors Adul Chuthong and Teeraphong Chuaychoo.
The changes followed intervention by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul amid mounting corruption allegations, claims of influence by powerful local figures and escalating internal conflict within Phuket’s administration. Government officials have said the transfers were intended to improve administrative efficiency and restore effective governance.
After the Cabinet approved the reshuffle on June 16, Mr Anutin said Phuket remained a province of critical economic importance and that the government would not tolerate allegations of land encroachment, intimidation of residents or the influence of powerful figures. He said the province needed officials without conflicts who could work together.
Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary Arsit Sampantharat later said the reshuffle was needed to resolve persistent disputes within Phuket’s administration, describing conflicts among senior officials as a near-daily subject on social media. Both Mr Anutin and Mr Arsit avoided mentioning corruption among officials as part of the crisis.
Mr Chotinrin, a former governor of several southern provinces, now takes charge in Phuket as investigations continue into allegations of corruption, benefit-seeking and abuse of authority. With the latest appointments taking effect, at least eight senior Phuket officials have been removed or transferred since May in one of the biggest overhauls of the province’s administration in its history.
