Talk of top Finance official's removal persists despite Kittiratt's denial
Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong has denied a report that he will shift permanent secretary Areepong Bhoocha-oom to another post, but a source at the ministry said Areepong could be transferred in April.
Kittiratt said during an interview with Spring News channel yesterday that he did not want to transfer anyone at the ministry.
However, the source said Areepong was expected to be named Cabinet secretary-general, replacing Ampon Kitti-ampon, who is expected to be made permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry. So the transfer could satisfy all parties involved, according to the source.
The source believed that Benja Luicharoen, who has close connections with the Shinawatra family, would be promoted as the next permanent secretary of the Finance Ministry.
Benja currently is director-general of the Excise Department. However, her weak point is that she has little experience in fiscal matters. She was formerly a senior tax official and deputy permanent secretary of the Finance Ministry, according to the source. Another possible candidate is Naris Chaiyasoot, director-general of the Treasury Department, who has connections with the coalition government.
Areepong was promoted to his current position by former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij. He is said to have good connections with senior figures in the Democrat Party, and some politicians in the Pheu Thai-led government are not happy with him, according to a political source.
A Pheu Thai source also claimed that the party had asked former finance minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala to move Areepong out of the ministry. Since Thirachai refused to do so, and also did not work well with Pheu Thai politicians, he was fired in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, according to the source. –
