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Alleged irregularities in the State Railway of Thailand’s projects were the main reasons Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the transfer of SRT governor Wutthichat Kalayanamit and the agency’s entire board, Government Spokesman Lieutenant-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday.
In his capacity as head of the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order, Prayut exercised his overriding powers via Article 44 of the interim charter on Thursday to force the transfer. He did so on grounds that he had received many complaints about lack of transparency in the SRT’s tendering and procurement processes, Sansern said.
“The prime minister cannot ignore [the complaints]. But everyone is still innocent pending a further probe,” he said.
Wutthichat was transferred to the PM’s Office.
A new board of directors was formed under junta orders that named Voravidh Champeeratana, chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission, as the new SRT chairman. Anont Luangboriboon, deputy director-general of the Highways Department, was appointed as acting SRT governor and a new board member.
Other new SRT board members are Chunhachit Sungmai, financial and fiscal system adviser of the Comptroller General’s Department; Bowon Vongsinudom, vice chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries; Piti Tantakasem, chief wholesale banking officer at TMB Bank; Admiral Thaweechai Boonya-ananta, chief adviser to the Navy; Group Captain Thanakorn Pheeraphan, a director of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority; Aunchalee Tengpratip, auditor at the Thai Credit Guarantee Corporation; and deputy performance secretary for finance Amnuay Preemonwong.