Appointment of top Finance Ministry officials hits snag in Cabinet

TUESDAY, August 25, 2020

A move to appoint top-ranking Finance Ministry officials was withdrawn during yesterday’s (August 25) Cabinet meeting after ministers failed to agree on the list of names. The hitch came as the ministry faces an urgent battle to revive the virus-hit economy.
New Finance Minister Predee Daochai said the Cabinet failed to reach consensus on the proposed appointment of four high-ranking civil servants.
An informed source said the appointments proposed by the Cabinet were as follows:
1. Jamroen Potiyod transferred from Finance Ministry inspector-general to deputy permanent secretary.
2. Phachara Anantasil, transferred from director-general of the Excise Department to director-general of the Customs Department.
3. Lawan Sangsanit transferred from director of the Fiscal Policy Office to director-general of the Excise Department.
4. Woranuch Phu-im transferred from Treasury Dept adviser to Ministry Inspector at the Office of the Permanent Secretary.
However, the Finance Minister objected and requested that Lawan instead take the position of director of the State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO), replacing Prapas Kong-ied, who would take the post of director-general of the Excise Department instead of Phachara.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the change could not be made since the Cabinet list did not match the Finance Ministry’s proposed appointments. Predee then agreed to withdraw his agenda and present it again at the next Cabinet meeting.
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said the Cabinet had approved the appointment of Chayathon Promson as the new transport secretary in place of Chaiwat Thongkoon, who will retire on September 30. Chayathon is currently director of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning.
The Cabinet also gave the green light for Danucha Pichayanan to be promoted from deputy secretary-general to secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) from October 1.
Meanwhile ministers approved the Energy Ministry’s proposal to appoint a 10-member electronic transactions committee.