Thai Interior Ministry says Phuket governor transfer aimed at easing provincial problems

Thailand’s Interior Ministry said the transfer of Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthavorn was proposed to help ease problems in the province amid reports about grey capital and influential figures seeking benefits.

Interior Ministry permanent secretary Arsit Sampantharat said the cabinet was asked to approve Nirat’s move from Phuket governor to deputy permanent secretary of the ministry, while Chotinarin Kerdsom, currently a deputy permanent secretary, would become the new Phuket governor.

Arsit said the reshuffle was intended to calm the situation in Phuket and was made for administrative reasons so work could proceed smoothly. He said the ministry wanted a new team to help address unresolved issues in line with government policy, including the suppression of influential figures and other local problems that remained unsettled.

He denied that the governor’s transfer was linked to the Department of Provincial Administration’s order transferring the Phuket provincial clerk. He said the ministry’s aim was to resolve all problems, comparing the move to removing sand from a shoe so that walking can continue more comfortably.

Arsit also rejected suggestions that the transfer was driven by personal conflict or local利益, saying there was no issue of benefits behind the decision. He said the change was made so official work in Phuket could continue and existing problems could be resolved as quickly as possible.

He acknowledged that Nirat was senior and understood the province’s problems, but said those problems had not yet been fully resolved. He also said Phuket’s deputy governors had not been working as a team, making a broader team change necessary.

Arsit said an inquiry committee set up earlier by a previous Phuket governor would continue its work and report to the ministry, adding that no findings had yet been received. He said any written clarification from a deputy governor would be awaited, and that any investigation would continue even after transfers take effect.

He added that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra had asked him about the situation, and that he advised the best course was to make the problems subside. He said the new Phuket governor would go in to assess the situation and expressed confidence in his experience.