Unacceptable choice as BOT chairman
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Re: "Rocky or rosy path for Virabhongsa?" Opinion, May 7.
It seems the government has made a big mistake in nominating Virabhongsa Ramangkura as the Bank of Thailand’s new chairman.
In any advanced economy, the country’s central bank is supposed to be as free from political interference as possible. It’s the government’s job to keep it that way.
Since Virabhongsa has recently been appointed chairman of the government’s Strategic Committee for Reconstruction, that could be interpreted as a political appointment. According to the central bank’s regulations, a political appointee cannot sit as its chair – as a conflict of interest could occur.
Worse, Virabhongsa, in his capacity as SCFR chairman, has made several attacks against BOT governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul and his cautionary monetary policies.
If Virabhongsa is really appointed as BOT chairman, it would look as if he was sent there to act as the government’s financier – not our nation’s monetary and fiscal overseer.
If that is the case, where is the coveted good governance for the country?
Vint Chavala
Lamphun
