Defence minister's candidate to become new permanent secretary
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The candidate favoured by the defence minister has been appointed the new permanent secretary for defence in a royal command issued on Wednesday, on the sixth anniversary of the 2006 coup.
Assistant Army commander General Thanongsak Apirakyothin will become the new defence permanent secretary, in the royal command on the reshuffle of senior military officers, which was countersigned by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Thanongsak was favoured by Defence Minister ACM Sukampol Suwannathat in the recent conflict over the Defence Ministry’s top seat of permanent officials. The outgoing permanent secretary, General Sathien Permthong-in, favoured General Chatree Thatti, who is his deputy.
In the latest military reshuffle, Chatree has been appointed an inspector-general, which is considered an inactive post. Sathien and Chatree had earlier filed a case with the Administrative Court against the defence minister for “unfair practice”, following his lightning order to sideline them.
General Pinpart Sariwat, chief of the Secretariat Department who was also involved in the conflict, will become a special adviser attached to the Defence Ministry Permanent Secretary’s Office.
The reshuffle of 811 high-ranking armed forces officers takes effect from October 1, at the start of the new fiscal year.
Many of those being promoted in the reshuffle are graduates of Classes 12 and 13 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.
Among the key appointments are:
- Assistant Air Force commander ACM Prajin Jantong, who will become the new Air Force commander-in-chief,
- General Phadetkarn Chansawek, commander of the National Defence Institute, who will become the armed forces’ chief-of-staff,
- General Worapong Sa-nganet, the armed forces’ chief-of-staff who will become deputy supreme commander,
- Lt-General Udomdet Seetabut, the First Army commander who will become the Army chief-of-staff,
- Navy specialist Admiral Narong Pipattanasai, who will become deputy chief of the Navy, and
- ACM Permkiat Lawanaman, the Air Force chief-of-staff who will become deputy Air Force chief.
Among the high-ranking military personnel promoted to the rank of a general are 18 women officers.
