All Thai influential figures will be registered, says Interior Ministry
The Interior Ministry and other agencies are actively working on putting together a list of Thailand’s “influential figures”, Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaiseth said on Monday.
This initiative comes in response to the killing of a highway policeman officer during a party at the home of Praween Chankhlai or “Kamnan Nok” on September 6. Praween is an influential figure in Nakhon Pathom province.
Chada said his ministry has set up a committee to register the names of people who wield “influence” in different parts of the country. The committee is chaired by Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
The objective is to compile a list of influential figures, and colour-code the areas where they have power, he said. The zones will be marked red or yellow, he added.
Chada went on to say that all village headmen and politicians will be screened, especially those who have a history of misconduct.
He noted that influential figures come in various forms, such as those who do not have a position but have the influence to appoint politicians.
He added that the list cannot be revealed due to legal restrictions such as the Personal Data Protection Act. Any leaks of the names may result in legal consequences, he said.
When asked about the timeline for collecting data on influential figures, Chada said data has been collected in Uthai Thani and some other provinces, but overall, the process is about 30% complete. He promised that the process would be completed soon.
When asked if anybody could place obstacles to the process, he said “whoever is bigger than me”.
