SRT Governor Veeris Ammarapala submits resignation after one year in office

Veeris Ammarapala, Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), has formally submitted his resignation after serving just one year since signing his contract on September 19, 2024, sources from SRT confirmed.

The resignation letter will be submitted to the SRT Board for consideration at the end of this month, with immediate effect expected.

Analysts suggest that the move is linked to Veeris signing an SRT order on September 29, 2025 to file eviction proceedings against two plots of land at Khao Kradong, Mueang District, Buriram Province.

One of the plots is held by Karuna Chidchob, wife of Newin Chidchob, CEO of Buriram United Football Club and patriarch of the Bhumjaithai Party, and the other by Silachai Buriram (1991) Co., Ltd.

The resignation also coincides with the political transition under the new government led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party.

Veeris’s tenure was further complicated by the ongoing high-speed rail project connecting Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-Tapao airports, where the Attorney General reviewed the draft contract and highlighted 18 points requiring revision to prevent the state from being disadvantaged. SRT is currently negotiating these issues with private contractors.

The new Ministry of Transport has affirmed its intention to proceed under the original contract terms. However, any contract termination would require compensation for losses due to missed project opportunities, and the SRT Governor, as the authorised signatory, would bear part of the responsibility.