Royal Rainmaking chief resigns, alleges unusual approach over aircraft repair budget

Rachen Silparaya, director-general of the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, submitted his resignation on Wednesday after being transferred from his post by the Cabinet, saying he had decided to leave the civil service before retirement.

Rachen said he had originally planned to step down closer to retirement, but chose to leave earlier after discussions with his family. He said he did not want to elaborate on the transfer itself, describing it as a decision taken by senior figures and saying he wished to avoid turning the issue into a wider controversy.

The most closely watched part of his statement was his claim that he had received a number of unusual attempts to arrange meetings in recent days. He alleged that several calls were made seeking discussions about aircraft repair matters, but said the people who eventually appeared were not the same individuals who had originally made contact. He said he had records of the contacts.

Speaking about the 2027 aircraft maintenance budget, Rachen said it was part of the normal government budget process. He said the department operated more than 30 aircraft and had an annual maintenance budget of about 300 million baht, with some repair items costing 30-40 million baht, stressing that such work was necessary for safety and that procurement procedures were transparent and followed regulations.

Rachen also said his resignation was not linked to wrongdoing or any stain on his career, but was a personal decision that would allow a younger generation to move forward while giving him time to return to family life. He said that, as a career civil servant, he had always worked to serve policy within the bounds of what was lawful and proper, and that resignation was the clearest option if he could no longer stand by his principles.