Kittiratt endorses Ampon as new BOT chairman
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Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong endorsed Ampon Kittiampon's nomination as Bank of Thailand's chairman, saying that Ampon is qualified in terms of age and knowledge.
Saying that he has received the nomination, Kittiratt noted that it's not his personal interest who would be the central bank's chairman. He just wished that an expert holds the title.
"I was asked what I meant by "an expert". My reply is it's hard to tell, as people have different knowledge. But as once the former chairman leaves, why a director can't become the new chairman. If the person is appointed on the merits of seniority, knowledge and clean records, it's a good thing and this should be a norm also at the Bank of Thailand," he said.
Ampon, now the Cabinet's secretary-general, won the majority votes from the nomination committee yesterday, said a source from the central bank.
The Finance Ministry willl forward the nomination to the Cabinet, the source said. “The name can’t be [formally] revealed without the Cabinet’s approval,” he said.
Chaired by former Finance Ministry permanent secretary Suparat Kawatkul, the nomination committee’s six other members were former Finance permanent secretary Sathit Limpongpun, former Revenue Department chief Sirote Sawasdipanich, former Commerce permanent secretary Siripol Yodmuangcharoen, Treasury Department chief Naris Chaiyasoot, former Council of State secretary-gen?eral Khunying Pornthip Jala and former Budget Bureau chief Pornchai Nuchsuwan.
