PM Defends Transfer of Phuket Governor Amid Influence Probe

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on June 16 defended the transfer of Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsittithavorn, saying the move was intended to improve administrative efficiency and address longstanding conflicts on the island.

According to Anutin, those conflicts had hampered efforts to tackle influential figures and alleged criminal networks in Phuket.

The defence of the transfer came in Bangkok ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting. Anutin said the change was aimed at resolving problems inside the administration rather than serving another purpose.

The issue is significant for Phuket because the prime minister directly linked the governor’s transfer to efforts to improve the province’s administration and strengthen action against local influence and alleged criminal activity.

The source material did not provide further details on the transfer order, the specific conflicts involved, or the individuals and networks under scrutiny. It did, however, frame the decision as part of an attempt to remove obstacles that had affected governance and enforcement on the resort island.

Phuket, one of Thailand’s best-known tourist destinations, was presented in the report as the center of the dispute and the focus of the administrative change defended by Anutin.