NCPO strengthens its position with more top brass
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The National Council for Peace and Order has appointed several more generals as the new government officially assumes office, in what many political observers see as a move to make the junta even stronger.
Several key NCPO members who are military brass will retire at the end of this month, while some have been appointed to the new Cabinet.
Hence the NCPO issued a statement yesterday cancelling its Order No 6 and replacing it with Order No 122, in which Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha was re-appointed as junta chief and five ministers named deputy chiefs.
The NCPO deputy chiefs are Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy PM General Thanasak Patimaprakorn, Education Minister Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Junthong, and Social Development and Human Security Minister Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew.
General Udomdej Sitabutr has been named NCPO secretary-general, while eight people were chosen as junta members: General Sirichai Distakul, General Worapong Sanganetra, General Paiboon Koomchaya, General Kraisorn Chansuvanich, ACM Treetod Sonjance, Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung, Meechai Ruchuphan and Somkid Chatusripitak.
As for the reshuffle at the Interior Ministry, in which 37 directors-general, inspectors-general and provincial governors will be moved, Prayuth said this was done in accordance with due process and standards.
He said he handed out more than a hundred “homework assignments” to relevant agencies at his first Cabinet meeting and that all his deputies had also been assigned specific tasks and responsibilities.
General Wilas Arunsri, meanwhile, was named secretary-general of
the PM’s Office, Dr Yongyuth Mayalarp was named government spokesman, and Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd was appointed as deputy spokesman.
Sansern was previously a spokesman for the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation under the Abhisit Vejjajiva government and was responsible for handling the red-shirt protests in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has proposed a reshuffle of senior officials, which would see the holders of several key positions moved, including chiefs of the Department of Provincial Administration (DoPA) and of the Department of Lands (DoL).
The current DoPA director-general, Siriphong Hantrakoon, will take over as chief of DoL from October 1 if the reshuffle is approved, while the current DoL chief Phinij Harnphanit will become the governor of Samut Prakan province, replacing Khanit Iamrahong, who will take over as an inspector-general of the ministry.
In the reshuffle, the new DoPA chief will be Songkhla Governor Krissada Bunraj, who will be succeeded by Phang Nga Governor Thamrong Charoenkul.
Nakhon Si Thammarat Governor Aphinant Chuethanuwong will become a deputy permanent secretary of the ministry, and will be succeeded in his old post by current Chumphon Governor Pheerasak Hinmuangkao.
