Reassigned Phuket governor says warning officials against illegal collections led to conflict

Former Phuket governor Nirut Pongsitthavorn said on Tuesday that his warnings to officials not to seek illegal benefits or act outside the law were a trigger for the conflict that preceded his reassignment.

Nirut spoke after meeting Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at Wing 6 military airport in Bangkok before Anutin's trip to Russia. The cabinet had resolved to remove Nirut from the post of Phuket governor and appoint him as a deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry.

Nirut said he respected the prime minister's decision and was not discouraged. He said he had no personal problem with anyone and had gone into Phuket to resolve existing conflicts, not to side with any group.

According to Nirut, tensions in the province predated his tenure and he had tried to address them in his capacity as governor. He said some people adjusted after his interventions, while others did not, and that if he could not control the situation or maintain order, it was up to the Interior Ministry to review his position.

He said he met Anutin to report on the situation in Phuket, adding that several issues had seen significant progress. Nirut said the problem of foreign mafias had gone quiet, although conflict with local figures had not yet been resolved and had become a ministry-level issue.

Nirut said he intended to continue working and uphold what was right, adding that the extent of his success depended on his superiors' assessment. He said some matters might remain unresolved and would have to be accepted as such.

On calls in Phuket for an inquiry, Nirut said a committee should be set up to examine local conflicts rather than leaving scrutiny to a single department. He said if the issue involved a deputy governor, then the Interior Ministry should send a committee led by an official at deputy permanent secretary level who could summon all relevant departments and agencies for questioning.

Asked whether the transfer of both the governor and deputy governor would end the problem, Nirut said conflicts over benefits in the area would still need to be handled by current officeholders. But he said personal conflicts would disappear if the individuals said to be in conflict were removed.

Rejecting any suggestion that he had been treated as a newcomer in Phuket, Nirut said he was in his ninth year at C10 governor level and was the most senior governor in the country. He said he saw other officials as juniors and had a duty to help guide them toward lawful conduct.

Nirut said he had openly warned in meetings and in public that no one should do anything illegal, demand payments from anyone, or harass others. He also said he had warned against confrontations and attempts to test strength.

When asked whether those warnings had caused resentment among officials, Nirut replied: "Certainly."

After meeting Nirut, Anutin embraced him and said, according to the report, "Come stay with your elder brother, stay nearby."